


| 18+ | Poison: ANTIDOTE | SeongJoong |

by exotiny



Series: Poison [2]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: ATEEZ - Freeform, Angst, Blood, BoyxBoy, Fluff, Hongjoong, LGBT, M/M, Smut, Trauma, Violence, kimhongjoong - Freeform, kpop, kpopfanfic, kpopimagine, mafia, mature - Freeform, mentalhealth, parkseonghwa - Freeform, seonghwa, toxic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:54:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 58,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29562201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exotiny/pseuds/exotiny
Summary: [COMPLETED](SPELLING ERRORS PRESENT)This is a sequel to my previous SeongJoong fic, Poison.****THIS STORY MAY CONTAIN SENSITIVE CONTENT, SMUT, AND MILD VIOLENCE. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK****THIS STORY WAS WRITTEN FROM MARCH 15th, 2020 to JULY 26th, 2020. THIS IS MY ORIGINAL WORK FROM WATTPAD.twitter: _exotiny_instagram: _exotiny_wattpad: exotinytiktok: _exotiny_discord: exotiny#0119(A/N: This is the second book for Poison. If you have not yet read the first book, PLEASE do so before beginning this book. Thank you!)
Series: Poison [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2171817
Comments: 7
Kudos: 4





	1. DESCRIPTION

Escaping from a world of destruction and heartbreak, these two star-crossed lovers start off their new life of peace, or so they thought. Still one of the most wealthy men in the world, Seonghwa tries his best to give his loving husband the life that Hongjoong had always wanted: Peace, serenity, love, and spending the last of his days with Seonghwa.

Starting their new life in Paris seemed like the start of something beautiful, and it was for the longest time. But everyone knows that your past will ALWAYS catch up to you no matter how far you run, no matter what you do to change it, your past defines your present and future.

Maybe Seonghwa was right in the beginning... You can't just run away from a life like that...

And there is going to be a grave price to pay for it...


	2. DESCRIPTION

What does the word "serenity" mean to you? Does it mean total peace? A sense of tranquility? Free from stress? Or is it simply a feeling that you get when you're with someone? Tenderly holding their hand, whispering sweet nothings in each other's ear, the graze of their touch against your skin, the sound of their soft breathing, the way their lips curl into a plump smile, the sparkle in their eyes as they gaze into yours, the smooth resonance of their voice when they speak...

"What are you writing, little one?" A pair of silky lips pressed against the skin of Hongjoong's ear, the warm breath sending a shiver down the length of his spine.

The soft sounds of tapping against the keyboard came to a halt when a pair of arms wrapped around his torso from behind, the lips against his ear traveled down the sensitive spot of his neck. Hongjoong let out a tired giggle, closing his eyes for a moment as he took the flesh of his bottom lip between his teeth and bit down softly.

"Just emphasizing my thoughts into an article entry as usual," Hongjoong replied in a soft tone, soon turning around to face the beautiful man he called his husband. 

Seonghwa's black hair was slightly messy, a gentle show of bags under his eyes from waking up out of a dead sleep. His torso was completely bare, exposing the honey tone of his smooth skin. A pair of grey sweatpants hung lowly upon his hips without a pair of boxers, any lower and there wouldn't be any room left for imagination.

Seonghwa got down upon his knees in front of Hongjoong, grabbing ahold of his lover's dainty hands and bringing them to his lips to place gentle kisses upon each knuckle. "Do you even realize what time it is?"

The computer screen in the corner of their bedroom was the only source of light that dimly lit up the room. It was a bit smaller than the bedroom they previously had, but it definitely didn't lack the sense of elegance that Hongjoong had been accustomed to.

The floor was made of white granite with streaks of gold, a king-sized bed with white and gray sheets sat in the middle of the room with a set of grey nightstands on each side. One whole wall of the room was just storage space for clothing and other items. The opposite side of the closet was a large window that looked out upon a whole field of black rose bushes. Their new home was more of the outskirts of Paris rather than within city limits, which was ideal for them because they wanted to stay away from the buzzing city life. 

The past eight months of their new life together was absolutely perfect. Hongjoong started a new website for himself, now writing articles about the meanings of life, how his thoughts worked, his opinion on things, basically anything that was on his mind at the moment. Although he had a problem with not being able to sleep, so he would often stay up all night tapping away at his keyboard. Seonghwa got a new job within the city working at the side of one of his father's former colleagues, who was just as a successful businessman as his father used to be. With Hongjoong working all night on his computer, it would often awake Seonghwa even when he had to work early in the morning.

"No... I hadn't even bothered to look at the time. Did I wake you again?" Hongjoong questioned in a small voice as he made a weird voice.

"It's 3:30 in the morning, Joong... And yes, you woke me, but you know that I don't mind much." Seonghwa gave a tired smile before letting go of Hongjoong's hands to stand up. "Come to bed, little one."

"But, Seonghwa..."

"You need your beauty sleep, and I need my beauty sleep. Come on." Seonghwa reached out a hand to the smaller male, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"But if I don't finish this now and go to bed, I'll completely lose my inspiration to-"

Hongjoong was quickly cut off by Seonghwa suddenly bending down and wrapping his arms around his waist. Before he could even protest, Seonghwa had lifted him over his shoulder and started to carry him over towards the bed.

"Haven't you learned that I don't take 'no' as an answer?" Seonghwa said with a slight chuckle as he then tossed the smaller male upon the cloud-like sheets.

Hongjoong's face fell into a playful pout as he sat up on his elbows to look at the taller male standing at the edge of the bed. "Seonghwaaaa..." He whined softly. "Pleaseeeee."

Seonghwa just shook his head in response before crawling onto the bed toward his lover, a slight smirk upon his lips. "No, you woke me up again... You know what happens when you wake the sleeping bear."

The way Seonghwa smirked ignited a flush of heat in Hongjoong's cheeks, the way his tone suddenly lowered into a seductive manner unleashed a cage of butterflies in his stomach. "What are you going to do to me this time?"

The black-haired male spread open Hongjoong's legs slowly, then crawled in between them as he hovered over his lover, his face leaning dangerously close into this. "The real question is... What would you like me to do to you?"

Hongjoong absolutely melted every time that Seonghwa asked him that question, knowing that his lover was so willing to please him in any way that he wanted, and Seonghwa always delivered beautifully.

"Hmm..." Hongjoong bit down on the tip of his tongue as a smirk grew upon his lips. "Just remind me exactly why I'm so infatuated with you, remind me why I can't live without your touch against my skin."

Seonghwa licked at his top lip while his eyes wandered over his lover's body. "Now that's not too hard, is it? I think I know exactly what you want..."

The black-haired male kept himself propped over the smaller male with one hand, the other hand slipping beneath the hem of Hongjoong's shirt to graze his fingertips up the length of his torso. Hongjoong let out an exhale of anticipation from feeling the soft touch against his skin.

Seonghwa proceeded to lift the shirt over Hongjoong's head with a little bit of help from him, then immediately began kissing the honey-toned skin of his lover's chest. He dragged his lips gently down the smaller male's torso, placing a few kisses here and there as he made his way down to his waistline. Seonghwa then placed his velvet tongue against his belly button, dragging his tongue slowly up Hongjoong's chest. This triggered a subtle, yet sweet moan from the smaller male.

"Mmm... Did someone like that?" Seonghwa taunted playfully before he began kissing on Hongjoong's jawline sweetly. "You taste so sweet..."

"You know I liked that..." Hongjoong swallowed the growing excitement in his throat, soon feeling his lover pull at the waistband of his checkered pajama pants. 

"Maybe I should get to work so I can hear more of those sweet sounds escape that pretty little mouth of yours." Seonghwa cooed in a seductive tone, leaning his face close as he licked at Hongjoong's lips.

Hongjoong had instinctively tried to connect his tongue with Seonghwa's, but he jerked his head back to reject his advance.

"Uh-uh... Not so fast, little one. I'm gonna play with you a little bit before I give you what you want." Seonghwa grabbed ahold of Hongjoong's chin gently. "You know how this goes by now... I'll be extra gentle with you, but only if I get to tease you past your limits."

"Seonghwa... Please." Hongjoong whined in a needy manner. He was always so quick to melt into his lover's hands, and it only made him crave Seonghwa more intensely.

"No. You're going to be a good boy for me, right? You wouldn't do anything to defy me, would you?" Seonghwa's tone had changed into more of a demanding, dominant tone.

Hongjoong immediately shook his head, biting down upon the soft flesh of his bottom lip. "No... I'll be good, I promise."

While one of Seonghwa's hands reached into the nightstand, he used his other hand to palm at the growing member in Hongjoong's pajama pants. Hongjoong's breath hitched from the sensation, a soft, breathy moan escaping his lips.

"Always a good boy for me... I love that SO much." Seonghwa praised his lover as he pulled out a bottle of lube and a blindfold from the nightstand.

Seonghwa wasted no time in slipping the blindfold over Hongjoong's eyes, then grabbed his hands and placed them above his head. "You keep your hands above your head, don't touch the blindfold unless I remove it, and the biggest rule of all..." He began as he slowly stripped the pajama pants off of his lover. "You CAN'T cum unless I say you can. Repeat it back to me."

"Hands above my head, no touching the blindfold, and... I can't cum unless you say so." Hongjoong bit down on his tongue nervously. They had used the blindfold before so Hongjoong knew exactly what he was expecting. Every touch, every sensation was going to amplified by ten times.

"Good boy..."

The black-haired male pressed his nails into the skin of his lover's chest gently, slowly dragging his nails down to his hips. Hongjoong pressed his head back into the bed, his back arching in response to the feeling of nails against his skin. A slight smirk came to Seonghwa's lips as he observed the reactions of his lover.

Seonghwa took the bottle of lube into his hand, flicking open the lid with the tip of his thumb, then tilting the bottle as a slippery, clear liquid came trickling out from the opening slowly. Hongjoong could feel every drop land against his hardening member, his body flinching slightly with every drop he felt. The more excited he became, the more sensitive he became and the more he was desperate to be touched.

Hongjoong then felt a pair of hands clasp around his member with a gentle grip, soon stroking up and down with a slow twisting motion. His mouth fell open as the sensation sent waves of pleasure through every nerve ending of his body, letting out a breathy moan. He felt the tip of one of Seonghwa's fingers begin to trace circles around the tip of his member, it was enough to drive him a little mad. Hongjoong's hips writhed against every touch, every stroke, the deprivation of his sight seemed to make everything feel absolutely amazing.

He then felt a pair of slicked up fingers slide into this entrance slowly, causing him to ball his fists tightly above his head and let out a moan that was quite loud.

Seonghwa chuckled in response. "I barely started touching you and you're already getting so vocal with me..."

"I just want you, Seonghwa... I love the way you touch me." Hongjoong whined pathetically, soon moaning again when Seonghwa's fingers began to curl inside him.

"How bad do you want me? Tell me." Seonghwa cooed sweetly as he simultaneously stroked his lover's hard member and worked a pair of fingers inside him.

"I-I would do anything to have you... My whole body just aches for you, I need you inside me." The way Hongjoong was so quick to become a totally submissive, moaning mess only made Seonghwa more excited, he himself was getting more desperate as well.

"Is that what you really want, baby? You want me to give you what you want?" Seonghwa bit down on his lip as he started to finger Hongjoong a bit faster.

Hongjoong clenched his jaw tightly, a low moan sounding through his nose. "Yes, I want it all..."

"What's the magic word then?"

"Please, Daddy..." 

That was all Seonghwa needed to hear. He pulled his hand away from Hongjoong's twitching member and pulled his fingers out from inside him. Hongjoong let out a whine of disappointment, all the pleasure he felt was just ripped away from him without warning.

It wasn't long before he felt Seonghwa grab ahold of his legs, spreading them wider before he felt something poke against his entrance.

"Beg for it again... Beg for me, baby." Seonghwa demanded in a soft tone, just teasing the tip of his member against Hongjoong's entrance.

"Please!" Hongjoong cried out desperately. "Please... I need you!"

Satisfied with the response he got, he slid his slicked up member into Hongjoong slowly, earning a long, breathless moan from his lover. The black-haired male bit on his lip from the tightness closing around him, sighing out deeply from pleasure.

Seonghwa used one of his hands to hold Hongjoong's hands in place above his head as his thrusts picked up to a slow, deep pace. He then leaned down, connecting his lips against his lover's with a passionate, loving kiss. 

Both males let out various moans and sighs as the playful moment quickly became an intimate, loving moment together. Seonghwa let go of Hongjoong hands to grab ahold of the blindfold, slipping it off so he could look his lover in the eyes.

"Wrap your arms around me..." Seonghwa whispered sweetly.

Without hesitating, the smaller male slung his arms around Seonghwa's neck, pulling him a bit closer. Seonghwa reached up a hand and grabbed ahold of Hongjoong's chin gently, his eyes staring deeply into his. His thrusts became faster in pace, watching Hongjoong's eyes roll into the back of his head and moan with total pleasure.

"Good boy... Just melt for me." Seonghwa said with a slight groan.

"Fuck... Seonghwa..."

The black-haired male buried his face into Hongjoong's neck, leaving a trail of love bites along his honey skin. Both males were nearing their highs very quickly.

"I-I'm... I'm gonna cum..." Hongjoong choked out through whiny moans.

Upon hearing this, Seonghwa started slamming into his lover roughly, earning loud cries from the smaller male. "Cum for me, baby..." Seonghwa growled lowly into his ear.

The way Seonghwa growled into his ear, ruthlessly abusing his sweet spot over and over, that was enough to send Hongjoong over the edge. He dug his nails deeply into Seonghwa's back, moaning loudly as his release exploded all over their chests. With one final deep thrust, Seonghwa released inside his lover with a breathless series of grunts.

Both males were now drenched in sweat, covered in each other's messes, and breathing hard from that much needed moment. Seonghwa pulled out of his lover before collapsing onto his back beside him, his eyes closed as he felt exhaustion wave over him.

"Fuck..." Seonghwa huffed out, running a hand through his hair.

Hongjoong grabbed the pajama pants that were still beside him on the bed and used them to clean up the mess that they had both made. He then tossed the pants to the floor, and cuddled into his lover's sweat covered chest.

"I love you, Seonghwa..." Hongjoong said in a tired voice, but the black-haired male had already passed out.

Hongjoong let out a silent laugh upon hearing the small snores from him, soon closing his eyes and falling asleep as well.

This was a common thing they did, the way they connected in such an intimate level brought them closer each time.

Only, their time of peace would be short-lived.

****THE STORY WILL BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****

(A/N: I'm honestly really excited to get back into this story, I enjoy writing it so much. I hope you guys enjoyed this smutty start to this sequel. I'll be back with the second chapter ;))))))))) ciao~)


	3. Chapter 2

A soft symphony of birds singing their synchronized songs filled his ears, slowly pulling Hongjoong from a deep state of slumber. He laid on his stomach with his cheek buried into the white silk sheets, his body engulfed by the softness of the mattress. The gray, velvet cover was the only thing covering his bare body from the waist down.

The smaller male drew a deep breath, gripping ahold of the soft silk in his left hand as his eyes began to flutter open. His messy white hair cascaded over his eyes, creating a kind of shield from the intense morning sun that was pouring in through the large window across the room.

A tired grunt escaped through his nose, soon rolling over onto his side and brushing the hair from his face. He felt his back bump into what felt like another body beside him.

I thought he had to work this morning? Hongjoong thought to himself as he looked over his shoulder. He saw a still sleeping Seonghwa, his mouth parted open slightly with soft snores from his mouth. He had one arm draped over his forehead with the other lying across his stomach.

Seeing his lover like this was one of Hongjoong's favorite moments of every day, he looked even more beautiful while he was asleep than when he was awake.

Hongjoong rolled over onto his other side so he was now facing Seonghwa. He reached out one of his small hands, using his fingertips to trace each muscle of his lover's torso gently.

"Seonghwaaa..." Hongjoong said with a singsongy voice. "Wake uuuup..."

Seonghwa's brows furrowed slightly as his eyes were still shut, removing his arm from his face to grab ahold of Hongjoong's hand. "What have I told you about waking the sleeping bear?" His voice was deeper in tone, beautifully raspy as well.

"Didn't you have work today?" Hongjoong questioned with a gentle smile.

"I did... But I was too tired to go in so I told Mr. Lee that I came down with something." The corner of Seonghwa's mouth turned into a tired smirk. "I'm sure he knew very well why I wasn't coming in... He just laughed and hung up on me."

Hongjoong let out a small laugh, rubbing his forehead. "Yeah, it definitely wouldn't be the first time you've called in after one of our little adventures."

Seonghwa took a deep breath as his eyes opened slightly, his gaze soon falling upon the white-haired male beside him. "Well, if you weren't so god damn irresistible, I'd go into work more often."

"Oh no... Don't blame this on me. I'm not the one who has the sexual appetite of a rabbit during mating season." Hongjoong fired back with a roll of his eyes.

"You never reject my advances, so you're still as guilty as I am."

"I'll keep that in mind the next time you try to make ANY advances on me then," Hongjoong said with a playful smile, then sat up to get out of bed.

Before Hongjoong could even swing his legs off of the bed, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him back. Hongjoong was soon on his back on the bed, Seonghwa hovering over him with a mischievous smile upon his face.

"Are you sure you can do that?" Seonghwa taunted with his signature seductive tone, his velvet tongue licking at his top lip in a hungry manner.

Hongjoong squinted his eyes before the smile upon his lips turned into a smirk. "I don't know... Try me."

Seonghwa didn't hesitate to lean his face closer to his lover's, his smooth lips grazing against his teasingly. "Famous last words..." He suddenly grabbed ahold of Hongjoong's sides, starting to tickle him.

Hongjoong immediately started squirming, laughing loudly as he tried to escape from the relentless tickling he received. "SEONGHWA STOP!" He cried out in a whiny voice.

"Nope. Not until you get rid of that attitude." Seonghwa snapped back with a laugh, now holding the smaller male in place as he continued to tickle him.

The white-haired male arched his back, shutting his eyes tightly as he cried out in between bursts of laughter. "PLEASE! I'M SORRYYYYYY!"

Seonghwa grinned widely, taking his hands away from Hongjoong's sides to grab ahold of his cheeks. "That's what I thought." He chuckled before placing a deep kiss onto his lover's lips.

"Hmm!" Hongjoong hummed loudly into the kiss, playfully hitting at Seonghwa's chest.

When Seonghwa finally pulled away, he had a stupid grin of victory etched on his face. "You're an asshole! You know I don't like being tickled!" Hongjoong playfully hit his chest once more.

Seonghwa chuckled, licking at the corner of his lips. "Well maybe you shouldn't give me an attitude so often and I wouldn't have to punish you like that."

Hongjoong rolled his eyes in response, reaching up with both hands to push Seonghwa off of him by his face. "You should've gone into work."

Seonghwa propped himself up on his elbow as he watched his lover get out of bed and walk over to their closet. "And miss a morning like this? Never."

Diiing dooong... The sound of the doorbell rang throughout the home followed by pounding on the front door.

Both males looked toward the bedroom door with curiosity, then made direct eye contact with each other. Seonghwa raised a brow, pulling himself out of bed and walking over to where his clothes from the day before laid upon the floor. He didn't waste any time throwing on the white dress shirt and black pants, not even bothering to tuck the shirt into his pants.

Hongjoong, who was already half-dressed at that point, called after Seonghwa. "I can get it if you would like."

"No, I've got it. You just get dressed and go make yourself something for breakfast." Seonghwa responded with a gentle smile at his lover.

"Okay." 

The taller male grabbed ahold of the door handle, twisting it before pulling the door open and walking down the large hallway. The taps of his bare feet against the granite floors made a soft echo through the hallway.

Rounding the corner, Seonghwa came to a large front door made entirely of plexiglass, a man in a delivery uniform stood patiently with a small box in his hands. He frowned his brows with even more curiosity as he opened the front door.

"Can I help you?" Seonghwa tilted his head to the side a bit.

"I have a package for, uh..." The delivery man paused for a moment as he inspected the package for a name. "Park Seonghwa?"

"That's me, but... I didn't order anything recently, there has to be a mistake." His brows started to furrow from his growing suspicion. 

"Sir, this package has this address listed, it has your name on it. There's no mistake." The delivery man replied, holding out the package to Seonghwa.

Seonghwa's gaze bounced back and forth between the package and the delivery man for a while, squinting his eyes slightly. "Alright..."

He reached out, taking the package from the delivery man. He inspected the package for a brief moment, there was no tag stating where the package came from. 

Seonghwa focused his attention back on the delivery man with a deep sigh. "Do I have to sign anything for this?"

"No, sir. We're all set here. Have a nice day." The delivery man nodded his head politely, then took off down the cobblestone walkway that led out to the driveway.

The black-haired male kept his eyes locked on the man, just watching him to make sure that when he got back into his truck, he drove off and didn't linger for any reason.

When the black delivery truck disappeared from his sight, Seonghwa hooked the packaged underneath his arm and shut the door, locking it just out of a growing sense of paranoia.

Ever since he and Hongjoong had completely disappeared from their former lives, nothing had really disrupted their way of life. This was rather surprising to Seonghwa, he didn't think it was that easy to just get away from that life of organized crime. Now, with this package showing up out of nowhere from an unknown sender, he could feel his nerves start to vibrate unsettlingly. 

Seonghwa carried the package into the kitchen where he saw his husband sitting at the breakfast nook in the corner of the room, just enjoying a cup of juice and a bowl of fruit.

Hongjoong turned his head, catching sight of his lover holding a small package underneath his arm. His eyes followed Seonghwa as he set the package on the counter, seeming to stare at it as if it were to explode at any moment. He had a strange look upon his face, and this started to raise Hongjoong's suspicions. 

"Seonghwa..? What's that?" Hongjoong questioned in a soft tone, placing a mango cube into his mouth with a pair of silver chopsticks.

"I don't know... It has no indication where it came from or what's inside." Seonghwa replied as he turned the package side to side, seeming to study it carefully.

"It's just a package, open it and see what's inside. I don't see why you're acting so suspicious."

"Joong..." Seonghwa turned his head to look at Hongjoong. "No one else knows my real name here beside you and Mr. Lee, and he knows better than to send me something with my real name printed on it." 

"Maybe he made a mistake?"

"With no return address? You can't tell me that's not something to be concerned about." Seonghwa placed his hands upon his hips, raising a brow at his lover.

Hongjoong rolled his eyes slightly as he plopped another cube of fruit into his mouth. He laid the chopsticks upon the rim of the bowl, then stood up from the breakfast nook and walked over to him.

"You're acting weird... No one knows who we are, where we are." Hongjoong grabbed a knife from the knife block and slid the package in front of him.

Seonghwa grabbed Hongjoong's wrist to stop him from opening it. "What if it's rigged? You can't just open it."

Hongjoong pulled his wrist away, letting out a subtle scoff. "Seonghwa, stop it. It's not rigged, calm down."

"Joong-" Before Seonghwa could stop him, Hongjoong slipped the blade of the knife underneath the tape and sliced it open. 

Hongjoong began pulling back the lips of the box, pressing them back and revealing a styrofoam lid. He didn't hesitate to grab ahold of it and throw it onto the counter. Seonghwa seemed to flinch slightly, but soon relaxed when he saw the contents of the box: A white pot topped with soil and bedded yellow chrysanthemums.

"See? It's just flowers, Seonghwa. I told you there was nothing to worry about." Hongjoong glanced over at his lover with a disappointed look, then proceeded to take the small pot of flowers out of the box and place it upon the counter.

Seonghwa frowned as he took ahold of the box, inspecting the inside of it, but nothing else was inside the box other than the flower pot.

Hongjoong then pulled out a white card that was attached to the rim of the pot, reading the writing out loud:

Have this gift as a toast to your beautiful life together.

Good luck.

~ H

"H? Isn't Mr. Lee's first name Hoseok?" Hongjoong tilted his head as he looked over at Seonghwa.

Seonghwa took the card from Hongjoong, inspecting both sides of the card and that was the only writing upon in. "Yeah... Hoseok Lee."

"See? Nothing to worry about." Hongjoong shrugged his shoulders lightly, checking the soil to see if it needed water. "Get a glass about half full of water and water the plant. The soil is a little dry." He said before returning to his seat at the breakfast nook.

"Alright..." Seonghwa let out a sigh of relief, then grabbed a glass from the cabinet directly in front of him.

The black-haired male filled up the glass just as Hongjoong said to, then returned back to the plant. He started to pour the water over the pot of flowers, making sure every inch was covered.

Suddenly... TZZZZ! A couple of sparks shot out from the middle of the plant, causing both males to jump and stare at the plant with wide eyes.

"What the..?" Seonghwa set the glass down, parting the bundle of flower heads until he laid eyes upon a small microphone hidden in the middle. He could feel his stomach drop straight to the floor, blinking with a sudden realization of what was going on, Seonghwa wasn't stupid.

The black-haired male grabbed the pot and didn't hesitate to throw it to the ground. The loud crash of the ceramic pot shattering against the ground made Hongjoong jump once again, he just blinked with shock. Soil, pieces of ceramic, and flowers flew across the floor. It was then that Hongjoong saw the small little microphone lying amidst the mess on the floor.

"It was bugged..? Who would-"

"Chrysanthemums... They are a popular symbol of death." Seonghwa looked over at Hongjoong while gritting his teeth for a moment. "That H? That doesn't stand for Hoseok... My boss didn't send us fucking flowers." He said with a scoff, squatting down to inspect the now ruined microphone in his hand.

Hongjoong's eyes bounced all over the room as he tried to process what was going on. "W-Who could it be then?"

"Hana..."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	4. Chapter 3

[continuation of chapter 2]

Hongjoong hadn't even thought about the past events that happened just a few months before, he was so caught up with building their new life that it never once crossed his mind. All the traumatic things that happened seemed to flash through his mind like a horrifying movie.

The smaller male's face seemed to drain of all color, his eyes blinked rapidly as a brewing sense of fear began to rise up from his toes.

"H-Hana? As in-"

"Hana fucking Nims..." Seonghwa spat under his breath as he threw the microphone onto the ground. 

Hongjoong started shaking his head, running a hand through his hair while the memories continued to play in his mind. "This can't be happening... I can't go through this again, Seonghwa. I can't do it."

The black-haired male looked back over his shoulder, seeing how quickly Hongjoong had started to panic. "Joong..." He then turned around and slid across the floor so he was now kneeling in front of him. Seonghwa grabbed his hands tightly, looking up into his lover's eyes. "The worst thing we can do right now is panic, alright?"

"How can I not panic? There was no return address upon the box, right? We moved to the other side of the world, Seonghwa, and flowers wouldn't survive an overseas shipment without being destroyed. That means Hana is here, she's here somewhere and she knows where we live. This is a sign, a warning, she's coming for us." Hongjoong rambled frantically, his hands beginning to shake from the rising panic in his gut.

Seonghwa reached his hands up, cupping Hongjoong's cheeks. "Listen to me, alright? You need to calm down. You're probably right, she's probably here in Paris, but instead of panicking we need to gather all we can and get out of here. Do you understand me?"

"I-I can't do this-"

Suddenly, the split sound of the kitchen window crashing in and a spray of splintered wood exploded dangerously close to them. Both males looked to the wall beside them with wide eyes, a large bullet hole now in the wall.

"Run... NOW!" Seonghwa exclaimed as he grabbed ahold of Hongjoong by his shoulders, rushing out of the kitchen. Just as they ran through the doorway of the kitchen, another shot had gone off, hitting the wall directly beside Seonghwa's back. If they hesitated for a moment, it would've been an instant kill shot.

They bolted down the hallway as fast as they could toward the front door. Beside the front door was a small table with a single drawer and a bowl for car keys placed on top. Seonghwa didn't hesitate to rip the drawer open, grabbing a loaded 10-clip handgun from the drawer and the four extra clips. He shoved the clips into his back pockets and grabbed his car keys from the bowl.

"Seonghwa, I cant-"

"Joong, there's no time to discuss this! We need to get the hell out of here!" Seonghwa exclaimed as he grabbed the smaller male by his hand, rushing out the front door with him.

At the end of the walkway sat Seonghwa's black Porsche, it was the only thing he brought with when they picked up and left. As they neared the car, two men dressed in a mercenary style stood up from the other side of the car, training their guns on the couple.

Everything seemed to work in slow motion at that moment, Seonghwa shoved Hongjoong to the ground as the first gunshot rang off. Seonghwa raised his gun to aim with his right hand, taking out the first guy without hesitation, instant kill shot.

Just as Hongjoong raised his head to look at Seonghwa with fear in his eyes, a spray of blood flew as a single bullet grazed Seonghwa's right shoulder. The black-haired male cried out and hissed loudly in pain, his left hand clasping around the now bleeding wound. In response, Seonghwa fired back with four shots back to back, riddling the man's chest with bullets before he fell to the ground.

Hongjoong didn't even have time to process what was going on before Seonghwa grabbed him by his arm and yanked him to his feet. The taller male practically dragged Hongjoong behind him as he rushed to the car. Seonghwa didn't waste a single second while getting his lover into the car, then hopping into the driver's side. He sat the gun on the middle consol as he pulled out the keys to the car, turning over the engine before peeling out of the driveway as fast as he could.

"Seonghwa, you got shot! You're bleeding!" Hongjoong exclaimed with shock as he saw the blood slowly seeping through the sleeve of his dress shirt.

"Yeah, I fucking know, Joong! Nothing we can do to fix it right now, alright?" Seonghwa snapped back from the intense feeling of pressure and adrenaline raging through his body. 

Just as Seonghwa pulled out onto the main road, he saw a black Cadillac SUV rush up behind them in the rearview mirror, close on their tail. "Fuck... Looks like this isn't going to be a smooth ride." He said as he slammed the gas pedal down to the floor with his foot.

Hongjoong glanced into the mirror on the passenger side, feeling his heart threaten to burst right out of his chest. "They're right on us, Seonghwa! Go faster!"

"I'm trying my best here, alright?! I can't go any faster!" Seonghwa yelled as he maneuvered the car through the windy country road. "Get the gun and buy me some time."

Hongjoong shot a look over at Seonghwa. "I can't shoot straight!"

"Then you better learn how because I can't shoot and drive at the same time!"

The smaller male grabbed the gun in his hand, quickly popping out the clip to see how many bullets were in the clip. He knew his way around a gun, but his aim wasn't anything compared to what Seonghwa could do.

Only five left... Hongjoong thought to himself, swallowing his nerves hard.

Hongjoong clicked the slip back into place, cocking the gun as he rolled down his window. As soon he popped his head out the window to aim the gun, a loud PEW rang and a spray of sparks hit the passenger side mirror, making him duck back inside quickly.

"Fuck!" Hongjoong cursed loudly, then popped back out again with the gun aimed at the Cadillac behind them.

He let off a couple of shots, but none of them even came close to a perfect hit, the bullets just ricocheted off the front of the car with a spray of sparks. When he saw the passenger of the vehicle behind them aim their gun, he quickly ducked back inside as three shots back to back came in through the back window, shattering the glass front and back.

Seonghwa growled under his breath as he ducked his head down to avoid the bullets flying in. "GOD DAMN IT, JOONG! SHOOT THE DRIVER!"

"I'M TRYING, OKAY?! I CAN'T GET A CLEAR SHOT!" Hongjoong shouted back with frustration.

"AIM DOWN THE MIDDLE AND SHOOT! DO YOU WANT TO DIE TODAY?!"

Hongjoong let out a yell of frustration, soon popping back out through the window and letting off two more shots. Once again, none of the shots hit. Before he could duck back inside, he felt the ripping, burning sensation of a bullet whizz graze his cheek. He plopped back down into the car as he cried out in pain, soon touching his cheek and feeling a warm liquid against his fingers.

Seonghwa widened his eyes as he looked over at the male next to him. "Are you okay?!"

"Yeah! Completely fine! I only almost got shot!" Hongjoong snapped at Seonghwa, gritting his teeth. "Fuck this..."

Hongjoong pulled half of his body out of the window, sitting on the edge of it as he propped his arms on the top of the car to get a better aim.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion once again, a couple of bullets flying past him with no contact. Hongjoong aimed down the sights of the gun, taking in a deep breath.

One bullet left... Make it count... Hongjoong thought to himself, his finger pressing down on the trigger.

BAM! The final shot of the gun rang off, shattering the windshield of the Cadillac with a spray of blood hitting the glass. The vehicle soon lost control, ramming into a guard rail on the side of the road before it began to roll three times. Hongjoong just stared for a brief moment in shock, then started laughing in victory.

He slipped back down into his seat with a groan of relief. Seonghwa, who watched the whole event unfold in the rearview mirror, hit the steering wheel with his hands and let out a laugh.

"HAHA! WOO! You got them!" Seonghwa praised with a wave of relief flooding over him. "You just saved our asses!"

"I honestly think I'm going to be sick..." Hongjoong sighed out, setting the gun down before running both hands through his hair.

"Save it until we're actually in the clear for sure... We need to get as far away from here as we can..."

Their once perfectly peaceful life was once again thrown into the fire. Everything was crumbling apart at their feet faster than they even realized. Hana was after them, and neither of them knew why. Hana willingly allowed them to get away from their previous lives, why would she be targeting them all of a sudden?

There were so many questions, no answers. The only thing they knew was that this was only the beginning of a chaotic chain of events.

And neither of them knew if they would both make it out alive.

(A/N: I know this chapter was a little bit shorter than usual, but this is all I had planned for this one. hope you enjoyed it ((((((: )

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	5. Chapter 4

After nearly escaping with their lives, the two lovers had decided that they would stop at an inn in a small town about 4 hours away from their original location to gather themselves.

They got rid of their phones so they couldn't be tracked, Seonghwa even traded in his prized Porsche for some beater car so they wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb in a totaled luxury car, he even got quite a bit of cash from the trade-in as well. They couldn't use the money from Seonghwa's credit card, it would only leave a digital footprint and their location would be given away.

Sitting upon the musty, old bed of the room they bought for the night, the thoughts in Hongjoong's head continued to race at a million miles an hour. Seonghwa had stepped out to run to the store just a block away from the inn to get some food and hair dye, so he was left by himself in the deafening silence.

His fingertips clawed at the fabric of his pants, the nerves running through every inch of his body made him tremble slightly. Just when he thought that everything was going to be okay, just when he thought he was going to be able to get over the trauma of their past, it all came crashing down again. Both him and Seonghwa had been maimed by bullets, their home was completely bombarded, not to mention having blood on their hands once again. These things didn't bother Seonghwa because he was used to it, but Hongjoong would never be able to bring himself to accept these kinds of things.

Hongjoong had been able to deal with the trauma and the psychological disruption he experienced, but everything that day had awakened it all again. He felt paranoid, not safe, he felt as if he was drowning, all the frantic, unsettling thoughts racing around in his head. Hongjoong knew that Seonghwa wouldn't let a single thing happen to him, but that wasn't enough reassurance for him.

I can't go through this again, I don't even know if I can... What did we do to deserve this? What's going to happen to us at the end of the road? Hongjoong let out a deep sigh, leaning forward with his elbows resting upon his knees, and interlocking his fingers into his head as he held his head.

The sound of the door broke the silence of the room, dim evening light from outside flooding into the darkened room and disrupting the deep state of thought that Hongjoong fell into.

Seonghwa came walking in through the door with a couple of bags filled with clothes, a simple first aid kit, two boxes of hair dye, and a few things that would keep them decently fed at least until tomorrow. He had a black mask covering his face, and a jacket from his car to hide the bloodied sleeve of his shirt, neither of them had yet tended to their wounds.

The black-haired male let out a frustrated sigh, kicking the door shut behind him and placing the bags on the bed. "Sorry I was out a little longer than I said. The clerk and I had a language barrier issue, and it took a while to find the things we needed."

When Hongjoong didn't say anything or even look up at him, Seonghwa tilted his head at the smaller male who held his head in his hands. "Joong?" He said softly as he walked over to him.

Seonghwa squatted down on the ground before his lover, grabbing his hands gently and leaning his head forward so he could look up into his eyes. "Are you alright?"

Hongjoong took the soft flesh of his bottom lip in between his teeth, biting down on it a bit hard as he stared back at Seonghwa. "I never thought the past would come back to haunt me. I had completely brushed it off my shoulder, and now... Now I feel so disconnected."

Seonghwa let go of his hands, then reached up and cupped Hongjoong's cheeks in his hands softly. "You can't go all awol on me, not now... I need you to be strong, not only for yourself but for me as well. If you are weak, then I am weak. I know everything was just yanked from under our feet, but it will all be okay, I promise. I won't let anything happen to you, alright?"

"For how long? Where will we go? How do we just drop from the grid again?" Hongjoong shook his head slightly. "We can only run for so long before she finds us again."

"Stop that. Stop thinking like that, Joong." Seonghwa sighed out once again. "You don't need to worry about things like that. I've got it all handled, just follow me, trust me, and we'll be fine. I contacted an old friend while I was out with a burner phone, as long as we get to the port in Liverpool by the end of the week, we'll have a way out of here and he'll help us get started somewhere else."

"For. How. Long?" Hongjoong asked in a stern tone, his bottom lip starting to quiver slightly. "I don't want to keep running and running."

Seonghwa stood to his feet, pulling the smaller male to his feet as well. He snaked his arms around his shoulders, holding him securely and pressing his cheek against the soft, white hair of Hongjoong's head. "Just trust me, Joong... I know you're scared, I know everything is so fucked right now, but the last thing we need to do is panic. Panicking won't solve the problem, it will only complicate things."

Hongjoong buried his face into his lover's chest, grabbing a fist full of the fabric from his shirt. "I'm absolutely terrified..."

"I know, I know... But you know you're safe with me. I'll put my life on the line before yours in a heartbeat. You'll be okay." Seonghwa soothed in a gentle tone, rubbing Hongjoong's back to calm him down. "Let's get you out of these clothes, fix up your cheek, change your hair, and get some food in your system. alright?"

When he felt the smaller male nod into his chest, Seonghwa smiled a bit as he pulled away, looking into the scared eyes of his lover. "You'll be okay..."

________________

... 12:00 am ...

________________

Hongjoong stood in front of the mirror, drying off his freshly dyed hair with one of the inn towels as he stood in front of the large mirror between the two queen beds. He drew a deep breath as he rested the towel around his shoulders, now gazing back at his reflection in the mirror. He had a decent sized bandaid covering the graze wound from the bullet, his hair was now dyed an electric blue, hanging messily in his eyes.

Soon the bathroom door opened, Seonghwa stepped out with a towel wrapped around his hips as he worked on drying his hair with a towel. When he dropped the towel he dried his hair with, it revealed the deep shade of crimson he chose for his hair. Hongjoong looked over, his eyes instinctively wandering every inch of his lover. The crimson shade of hair was very fitting for him, the remaining droplets of water upon his skin was like something out of a dream.

"I swear you're not human..." Hongjoong said with a bit of a smile, plopping down onto the bed. He tried his best to not think about everything that was going on.

Seonghwa looked over at Hongjoong with a raise of his brow. "What are you talking about?"

"Even with messy, wet hair, and nothing but a towel around your waist, you look like you just stepped out of a fairytale."

The corners of the crimson-haired male's mouth grew into a smile, a slight chuckle coming from him. "I'm sorry... Are you really flirting with me during this time of chaos?" He questioned in a playful tone, walking over to the clothes he picked out on the bed.

"You told me not to worry about what's going on... Here I am, not worrying." Hongjoong replied with a subtle shrug of his shoulders, grabbing the remote to the TV before turning it on.

"Fair point. You have nothing to worry about anyway." Seonghwa stated with a nod, soon dropping the towel from around his waist so he could put on the clothes.

Hongjoong glanced over at the sight that just unfolded beside him, feeling his heart spike in his chest and a flood of heat enter his cheeks.

"Ahem..." Hongjoong cleared his throat, quickly focusing all his attention on the TV. He hated when Seonghwa just walked bare around him, he always found himself bothered by the alluring sight of his lover no matter what mood he was in.

As Seonghwa was picking up the set of boxers to put on, he paused for a moment when he heard the smaller male clear his throat. After noticing the red pigment in his cheeks, he immediately knew what he was thinking. "Are you having issues over there?"

"Ah... n-nope. Not at all. Just w-watching TV."

"You're the worst liar I've ever met, and I've met so many." Seonghwa laughed softly, stepping into the boxers before pulling them up to his hips. "There's a bathroom behind me if you need to... fix your growing situation."

Hongjoong shot a look at Seonghwa, the shade of red deepening on his cheeks. "I'm not lying!" He exclaimed in a flustered tone.

"Defensive, blushing madly... You're worse than Pinnochio."

"Shut up!" Hongjoong picked up one of the pillows beside him, throwing it at Seonghwa.

Seonghwa laughed as he knocked the pillow away with his hand. "Are you gonna make me?"

The blue-haired male shot up from where he sat on the bed. "I will!"

Seonghwa raised his brows in response, tilting his head as he then rounded the bed to approach the smaller male. Just from the look in the taller male's eyes, Hongjoong knew he started something that he wasn't going to be able to finish. The smaller backed away from him as he got dangerously close, soon his back bumped against the wall. Seonghwa had him completely cornered, towering over him with both hands placed on the wall on each side of Hongjoong.

The taller male leaned his face in close, the heat in Hongjoong's cheeks burned fiercely. "You want to repeat that for me, little one? I don't think I quite heard you clearly." Seonghwa taunted, his tone was deeper than normal.

"I-I..."

"Still can't hear you." Seonghwa squinted his eyes with a smirk as he grabbed Hongjoong by the chin and pulled his face close. "Louder."

"I-I... I changed my mind." Hongjoong said in a small tone, immediately submitting to his lover's intimidating energy.

Seonghwa pressed his soft lips against the skin of his ear lobe, muttering seductively. "Oh, no, no, no... If you talk big, you better follow through. If you bite, I bite back ten times harder..."

These words sent a cold chill down Hongjoong's spine, he almost moaned from the sudden feeling of excitement in his chest. He was left completely speechless. He had opened his mouth to speak, but he was unable to form any words.

"Mm... That's what I thought." Seonghwa spat out playfully, then suddenly pulled away from the smaller male.

When Seonghwa started to walk away, Hongjoong's mouth fell open in complete shock. Seonghwa had only teased him for talking back, and now he was left high and dry.

"Th-That's not fair!"

Seonghwa raised a brow at Hongjoong as he started putting on the rest of his clothes. "Bad boys don't get rewards. Take care of your own problems if you're so flustered."

"B-But, Seonghwa!"

"Nope. I'm going to bed, I'm tired." Seonghwa shrugged before slipping on his shirt and pants.

Hongjoong's shoulders slumped as he let out a frustrated sigh. "Asshole."

"That's my name, don't wear it out," Seonghwa replied as he plopped into bed, soon reaching over to grab ahold of the smaller male's hand and pulling him onto the bed. "It's late, we need sleep."

While the crimson-haired male crawled under the covers and shut the light off, Hongjoong sat up pouting as usual. Hongjoong sighed dramatically, hoping to catch his lover's attention, but Seonghwa just rolled over onto his side away from him, completely ignoring him.

The smaller male groaned softly in annoyance before crawling under the covers himself, he knew he wasn't going to get what he wanted.

"Asshole..."

Seonghwa just let out a silent laugh as he shook his head, pulling the covers up to his chin and closing his eyes. He enjoyed teasing Hongjoong, the way he got all pouty and bratty was amusing to him.

A subtle moment of playful bliss amidst the chaos.

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	6. Chapter 5

Dun dun dun... A rough pounding on the door of the motel room caused Seonghwa to awake abruptly from a deep sleep. He quickly turned his head to look over his shoulder at the door. The blinds were closed so he couldn't see anything outside but the faint blue of the morning sky was pouring in through the cracks. Hongjoong was still dead asleep, the pounding hadn't even fazed him in the slightest way.

Seonghwa grabbed his gun from the nightstand, then gripped at the fabric of the blanket and threw it off of him as he got up out of bed. With his gun cocked and loaded in his hands, he slowly crept toward the door as silently as he could manage.

Peering through the peephole on the door, he couldn't see a single person standing outside. He immediately frowned his brows with suspicion.

Seonghwa wrapped his hand around the doorknob, twisting it to the left and pulling the door open. He first stuck his head out of the doorway, looking side to side to see if there was any sign of the person who knocked on the door, but there wasn't a single person in sight. 

The morning air was crisp, silent and not yet disrupted by any signs of life. This only raised his suspicions even more. If it was housekeeping, they wouldn't have just pounded on the door and immediately left.

Seonghwa tucked his handgun into the back of his waistband, pulling his shirt down over it to conceal the weapon before stepping out of the room. He made to shut the door behind him quietly so he didn't disturb his still-sleeping lover in the room. Seonghwa's bare feet made soft tapping sounds, the brisk feeling of the freezing concrete beneath his feet.

Just as he rounded the corner of the inn, the feeling of what felt like a freight train slammed into his gut, a hooded figure suddenly appearing before him. The wind was knocked straight out of him, his knees buckling as he collapsed straight to his hands and knees on the ground. Guttural, desperate gasps for air escaped his throat, his face wincing in pain. He nearly threw up from the immense waves of pain throughout his body.

One arm hugged his gut, continuing to gasp for air and struggling to get his breath back. He slowly looked up to face the person standing over him, dressed in black from head to toe. When his gaze laid upon an all too familiar face, he felt as if he was going to throw up right then and there.

"Good morning, Seonghwa... I hope you slept well." The strikingly beautiful female remarked with a wicked smile upon her face.

"H-H... Hana..." Seonghwa managed to choke out through deep coughs and gasps for air.

Hana grabbed ahold of the collar of the black-haired male's shirt, yanking him to his feet aggressively as she started to drag him down the walkway. She managed to drag him all the way into the back of the inn where the large garbage bins stood, out of sight from any potential customers or staff for a moment.

The blonde-haired female threw Seonghwa forward with all of her might, causing him to stumble and fall flat on his stomach into the dirt. Seonghwa grunted in response, huffing out as his face tightened into a wince.

"Glad I could finally catch up with you... You're not an easy person to find." The female spat with a scoff as she leaned down to grab the gun from Seonghwa's waistband.

"What the hell are you-" Seonghwa snapped as he suddenly pulled himself to his knees, whipping around to face Hana, only to fall silent when he found the barrel of his own gun pointed at his head.

"Uh-uh-uh..." Hana warned as she waved a finger in the air. "You're going to listen to me whether or not you want to."

Seonghwa clenched his jaw tightly, glaring right into the intense, icy gaze of the female before him. "What do you want? Why are you here, Hana?"

"Turns out my own company and legacy won't take a damn order from my mouth..." Hana raised her brow sightly.

"And what does that have anything to do with me? Maybe if you actually established authority like I taught you and listened to me, we wouldn't be here."

Seonghwa's snarky comment earned him a hard hit across the cheek with the barrel of the gun, his head jerking to the side as he fell over. He grunted loudly from the throbbing pain, spitting out a mouthful of blood and a single molar.

The crimson-haired male let out a low growl, pushing himself back up onto his knees. "What do you want, Hana?! For fuck's sake!"

"Come back to the organization, Seonghwa..." Hana squinted her eyes as she now pressed the barrel of the gun against his forehead.

Seonghwa scoffed, hardly feeling threatened by the loaded gun. "Or what? You'll kill me? Kind of defeats the purpose of telling me to come back."

Hana let out a cheeky laugh, tucking the gun into the waistband of her pants. "Oh, no... You're right, it would defeat the purpose, but that's not at all what I had in mind."

Seonghwa's brows cinched together. "What are you talking about?"

"Well... You know that dreamy boy you have in your bed? The one you kiss and cherish every day?" Hana put her hands on her knees as she leaned into Seonghwa's face. "Sure would be a shame if something happened to him, right?"

A blue flame instantly sparked in Seonghwa's gut. "If you touch a god damned hair on-"

"Oh, I won't. ONLY... If you promise to come back to the organization. Fix what I've done, bring it back to life like my dear old daddy wanted you to." Hana reached out and grabbed his chin firmly. "You know... The one you shot in the head?"

"It was an eye for a fucking eye..." Seonghwa snapped with a growl.

"Oh no. Don't misunderstand, I'm glad you did what you did. Samuel killed his father before he took over, so you just continued the legacy." Hana smiled widely with an unsettling giggle. "You were such a great boss until you decided to pack up and leave with your petty excuse of a husband." She spat before backing away from him.

"I can't just-"

"If you refuse, I already have a few of my men waiting outside that fucking door." She clapped her hands together with a shrug. "Your choice..."

Seonghwa swallowed the bundle of nerves in his throat, staring at Hana for the longest time as he contemplated his decision.

With a deep sigh, Seonghwa leaned forward with his elbows on the ground, his head now resting in his hands.

"So? What's your answer, Seonghwa?"

After a moment longer, Seonghwa finally sat back up, looking Hana dead in the eyes with an empty expression.

"Alright... I'll do it..."

____________________

Two days later...  
____________________

After being confronted by Hana the other morning, Seonghwa hadn't even mentioned a single word about it to Hongjoong. When he was questioned about the forming bruise on his cheek from being pistol-whipped, he just told Hongjoong that he had tripped and hit his cheek on a corner outside when he went to get breakfast.

Seonghwa knew if he said something about it, it would only make him feel worse than he already did. Hongjoong was already on edge, he would just snap if Seonghwa told him what happened. He wasn't going to let him get wrapped him up in that life again, and he had a plan to ensure that.

They were about an hour away from the port in Liverpool, a deafening silence hanging in the car between the two. Neither one of them said anything, but they were both extremely tired from traveling the past couple of days.

Finally, Hongjoong decided to break that silence.

"So... After we board your old client's ship, where are we going exactly?" Hongjoong questioned in a soft tone, looking over at his lover in the driver's seat.

"Home..." Seonghwa replied, adjusting his grip on the steering wheel a bit.

Hongjoong immediately frowned in confusion, tilting his head. "Home? What do you mean?"

"We're going back to June."

"June? Why would we go back there?" Hongjoong squinted his eyes slightly. "Are you crazy, Seonghwa?"

"It'll be fine, Joong. We haven't been tailed or followed for the past couple of days, we've had no issues. The last place they would think to look is back home. Besides, once we're home, we'll be on more familiar ground." Seonghwa reassured with a smile. "That, and most of my money is still back in June. We can get some of that and just head off somewhere else. I told you to trust me, remember? Trust me."

Hongjoong stared at Seonghwa for a while, just knowing that something was off like Seonghwa was hiding something from him. But instead of questioning it, he just sat back in his seat with a soft sight.

"I really hope you know what you're doing..."

"Of course I do. When have I ever steered us wrong?" Seonghwa said with a simple shrug.

"Well, there were a few times-"

"Okay, okay. I take that back, alright?" Seonghwa said with a laugh. "I don't need to be reminded that I suck."

Hongjoong scoffed with a smile, reaching out and grabbing one of Seonghwa's hands from the steering wheel to hold it. "You don't suck..."

Seonghwa brought the smaller male's hand to his lips, kissing on his knuckles gently. "I love you, you know that right?" Seonghwa looked over at Hongjoong for a brief moment, struggling to hide a brewing sadness in his eyes. "I'll never stop loving you. No matter what happens between us."

Hongjoong made a weird face, making a split moment of eye contact with his lover. "You're acting weird... I know you love me, idiot. I love you too."

"Good..."

____________________

A week later after boarding the ship back to June...

____________________

When the ship docked back in the ports of June, Seonghwa had this whole plan that he had laid out for them, he had everything organized down to the fine details, but his whole behavior that day was offputting. Hongjoong had no idea what was wrong with him, but he figured that it was just nerves from being back home again.

They had gotten off the ship with the very few belongings that they had, making their way off the port and onto the streets of their hometown. It felt strange being back, but it also sparked a sense of nostalgia for Hongjoong. 

The way every street was flooded with people, cars, and various food trucks set up on every corner. The noisy, bustling city brought a sense of comfort to him despite the dark memories that resided there.

Seonghwa held Hongjoong by his hand as they walked a few blocks to the downtown area of the city, that's where his bank was so that was the first step they were going to make now that they were home again.

Stopping just before the 10 story bank building, Seonghwa turned around so he was now facing the smaller male, a weird look upon his face. The crimson-haired male reached out his hands, placing them on each side of his cheeks with a slight smile.

"I'm gonna head in and pull out some money, I want you to wait out here."

Hongjoong tilted his head slightly. "I can come in with-"

"No, no. It's fine. I'm only going to be a few minutes, alright?" Seonghwa bit on the inside of his cheek slightly. "Joong... I just want to remind you how much I love you deeply. You're my whole world, my everything, and I'm sorry for everything that's happened ever since we met. I know I've apologized for this so many times before, but I just want to say it once more. There's no one in this world that I've loved more than I love you."

"What..?" Hongjoong sounded a bit confused as he was puzzled by this sudden confession. "I love you too, but... Baby, where is all this coming from?"

"Nowhere, I... I just wanted you to know." Seonghwa felt a lump forming in his throat, but he did his best to keep his composure. He pulled the smaller male by his face, encasing his lips with a kiss filled with every ounce of love and passion that he could manage.

The blue-haired male was slightly taken back by the steamy exchange, but he melted right into the kiss anyway. The way Seonghwa's lips felt against his was the best feeling in the world.

After allowing the kiss to linger for a moment, Seonghwa pulled away as he took a deep breath.

"I'll be right back..."

Without another word, the crimson-haired male disappeared inside the bank.

Why is he acting so weird? Hongjoong thought to himself, leaning against the concrete siding of the building as he waited for his lover to return.

After what felt like hours of waiting, Seonghwa still hadn't come back from the bank, and Hongjoong was becoming a little impatient just standing there.

The smaller male made his way into the bank, the sound of keyboards tapping and chatter filling the air. Hongjoong glanced around, not seeing a single sign of Seonghwa in there.

Finally, he came to the clerk's desk, placing his hands on the edge of the counter and smiling at the woman behind the glass. "Hi. Did you see a taller Korean man with dark red hair come in here?"

"Hmm, yes... A while ago, but he had left a long time ago." She replied with a courteous smile.

Hongjoong blinked a few times, feeling his heart sink in his chest. "H-He left? I was waiting for him just outside. How did he-"

"He asked to be let out the back door, sir. It was a strange request but-"

"Thank you..." Hongjoong cut her off as he suddenly took off running through the lobby.

The blue-haired male burst through the doors of the bank, rushing out onto the sidewalk as he looked all over the place. He didn't see Seonghwa anywhere, he had completely vanished into thin air.

Hongjoong wandered the streets for the longest time, desperately trying to find a single glance of his missing lover anywhere. It was then he just stopped walking, looking everywhere around him as he slowly began to realize what just happened. 

Did he... just abandon me? Is that why he was acting so strangely? Hongjoong thought to himself, a sense of warmth flooding his eyes as tears began to cloud his vision.

Hongjoong exhaled sharply, the feeling of a knife ripping through his chest, tears streaming down his cheeks like a river of pain. The one he had called his husband, his best friend, left him without any answers as to why he left. Seonghwa abandoned him on the streets of June, discarded him like a piece of trash.

The one person he loved just slipped through his fingers, he was all alone with absolutely nothing. Nothing could compare to the devastation this brought him. 

Seonghwa was never seen again from that day on... At least, not for a while.

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****

(A/N: sorry this chapter kinda royally sucked :/ )


	7. Chapter 6

Two years later...

_____________________

It had been quite a long time since Seonghwa had returned to June, he never imagined that he would ever be back here, not after how he left things before. Over the past two years, Seonghwa had completely taken over the organization once again, fixed the crumbling mess that Hana made before him. Once again, everything was practically bent to the will of his fingertips, power, money, luxury, everything he had left behind. 

Seonghwa had done everything in his power to get away from June. He had changed the name of the company, totally packing it up and moving the central force of the organization to a different part of the country. That was until a small group of men from his own organization that still resided in June had started to act out, started to make a name of their own, and Seonghwa was not going to let it slide. This was his only reason for returning to that damned place.

Until everything was settled and put back into place, he was only going to be staying there for a month or so. It gave him enough time to try and talk to this group of rebels, and enough time to get his hands dirty if they weren't willing to cooperate with him.

The strong, bitter scent of coffee filled the air of the cafe, a soft symphony of chatter from the customers enjoy their lunch breaks, having coffee with one another, enjoying each other's company.

Seonghwa sat in the very back corner of the cafe, ensuring that he was distanced enough from the rest of the people within the establishment. He sat very laxly in the booth, a large coffee cup placed upon a napkin to his right, and a laptop sitting upon the table in front of him. The black-haired male adjusted the reading glasses upon the bridge of his nose, then let his fingers get back to work on the keys of his keyboard. 

Since his face was still a very well known image in the city of June, his presence in the cafe caused a bit of tension to hang in the air. No one could forget the strikingly beautiful bachelor that once had total control over the city.

Seonghwa had his black hair styled in a brushed back fashion with a good amount of gel, outlining the fade cut on the sides of his head. He was fitted with a grey, long-sleeved button-up with the first few buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to the bend of his elbows, the shirt hugged his physique perfectly. He wore a pair of dress pants made of the finest fabric, and a pair of grey Italian leather shoes. If there was one thing Seonghwa loved, it was his Italian leather. A Rolex watch wrapped around his left wrist, a simple chain upon the other, and a single gold band on his left ring finger. The ring was something he always wore in memory, something he cherished, something he would never take off. It was very clear that Seonghwa was the best dressed in the whole cafe, and of course, the most dangerous.

The poised male looped his fingers through the holes of the warm ceramic cup, lifting it to his lips as he took a sip of the strong coffee in the cup. The cup made a soft thump as it was set back upon the napkin on the table.

Dingdingding... The sound of the bell above the entrance rang softly, letting the workers know that a new customer had entered. Seonghwa's gaze didn't lift from the computer screen except for the occasional glances he needed to take at the keyboard. He brought the cup of coffee to his lips once again, taking a drink

"Hi! Yeah, can I have a large cappuccino with extra cream and caramel? Thanks." A familiar voice could be heard ordering at the counter.

Hearing this voice, Seonghwa seemed to pause for a moment, his heart instantly beginning to thump erratically within his chest. He blinked a few times as he lifted his gaze to the customer who had just entered. He immediately set the cup down, choking briefly on the coffee he just swallowed and bringing a hand to his mouth as he started to cough. 

Hongjoong, who he hadn't seen a glimpse of in two years, stood bright-eyed and shining at the counter waiting on the order he just made, just a few feet away from him. His hair was a bit shorter than Seonghwa remembered it, dark, fluffy brown bangs hanging over his forehead. He wore a blue sweater that was clearly a couple of sizes too big for his smaller frame, a pair of tattered black jeans, and black boots on his feet.

As much as he wanted to call out to him, envisioning a lovely, passionate reunion in his head, Seonghwa knew very well that's not at all how that interaction would go. He had vanished without a trace, giving Hongjoong nothing but a pathetic apology before he did. Hongjoong would probably rip his head off where he sat, and Seonghwa was determined to avoid that at all costs, he needed to get out of there without being noticed. But how?

Seonghwa slowly closed his laptop, soon slipping it into the briefcase that sat beside him in the booth, his gaze never left Hongjoong as he just watched him. The brown-haired male soon got the cappuccino that he ordered, walking over to a small table across from the counter. Seonghwa let out a sigh of frustration, Hongjoong basically had a full view of the cafe from where he was sitting, which meant it was going to be even harder to slip out the front entrance without being noticed.

When Hongjoong was distracted by his coffee and his phone, Seonghwa saw the perfect window to grab his briefcase and leave. He stood up from his seat at the booth, keeping his head down and looking at his feet as he made his way across the cafe. So far, he was making it out, but that was until someone suddenly came rushing in front of him. A man holding two coffees collided right into Seonghwa, coffee flying all over the place and himself. Seonghwa blinked with distaste, licking at his bottom lip as he dripped in coffee.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Watch where you're going!" Seonghwa snapped at the man, shaking some coffee from his arm.

The man immediately started to panic when he realized who he just rammed into. "O-Oh! M-Mr. Park, I-I... I-I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to!"

After the whole event unfolded, hearing that name made Hongjoong instantly freeze in place. He looked up from his phone, his eyes a bit wide with shock as he recognized Seonghwa right away. 

Seonghwa happened to glance over at Hongjoong, now realizing that they were making direct eye contact with one another. Seonghwa just grabbed the man standing in front of him by the shoulder, shoving him out of the way as he made his way out of the cafe without another word.

"Seonghwa..?" Hongjoong muttered to himself, just watching him walk out of the cafe for a brief moment.

Suddenly, Hongjoong lept up from his seat, bolting for the door and scrambling out onto the sidewalk. He looked down both sides before catching sight of the taller male walking fast down the sidewalk.

"Seonghwa!" Hongjoong called out as he jogged in his direction to catch up. 

Hearing his name being called, Seonghwa clenched his jaw tightly and stopped dead in his tracks, soon turning around to see the smaller male running at him. 

Hongjoong came to a stop in front of Seonghwa, just staring at him as if he was trying to figure out if he was dreaming or not. A billion thoughts and emotions flooded through him.

"I..." Hongjoong started with a sharp exhale of shock. "What are you-"

"Hongjoong, I can't do this right now. I'm sorry, I just can't." Seonghwa cut him off, biting down on the soft flesh of his bottom lip.

Hongjoong frowned his brows slightly, shaking his head. "What do you mean? You disappear for two fucking years and all of a sudden... Here you are!" His face seemed to flush with a wave of brewing anger. "You left me! Alone! With nothing but a shitty apology and the clothes on my back! You fucking disappeared, and now that I have the chance to get answers, you tell me you can't do this right now? You fucking owe me!"

Seonghwa licked at the inside of his cheek before clenching his jaw once again. "I did it to protect you. I can't explain everything to you all at once."

"Protect me from what?" Hongjoong fired back with a scoff. It was then that Hongjoong took a minute to take in the black-haired male's appearance. High fashion, Italian leather shoes, the whole get up. He instantly knew the answer to that question. "So you fucking left me on the streets just so you could go back to the life you lived before..?"Hongjoong looked at Seonghwa with bitterness and anger raging through him

"It wasn't that simple... I had no choice. If I had any other choice, I would've taken a different path."

Suddenly a hard smack connected with Seonghwa's cheek, causing him to stumble back and hold his cheek in shock. Seonghwa looked back up at Hongjoong, who was now consumed by a flood of tears.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAD NO CHOICE?! DO YOU EVEN REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?! THE PAIN YOU PUT ME THROUGH?! I WAITED FOR YOU EVERY FUCKING DAY! JUST HOPING THAT YOU WOULD COME BACK AND YOU NEVER DID! I RUN INTO YOU AFTER TWO YEARS AND FIND OUT YOU ABANDONED ME OUT OF YOUR OWN SELFISHNESS!" Hongjoong shouted through his tears of pain.

Hongjoong's sudden outburst was causing some attention from the rest of the pedestrians on the street, Seonghwa looked around nervously from all the eyes now on him. He suddenly grabbed the smaller male by his arm, dragging him into the nearest alleyway so they would at least have a sliver of privacy in this public setting.

Once they were in the alley, Hongjoong ripped his arm away, devastated sobs still escaping his mouth.

Seonghwa turned and faced the smaller male with a deep sigh. "You don't understand, Hongjoong. I did what I-"

Another hard smack across the face, Seonghwa grunted as he then dropped his briefcase to the ground. This smack was hard enough to cause his bottom lip to split, a faint taste of blood touching his tongue.

"WHAT EXACTLY DON'T I UNDERSTAND?! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU HAD TO DO! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT'S BEEN LIKE WITHOUT YOU, SEONGHWA!" Hongjoong continued to shout, now shoving Seonghwa back against the wall and hitting his chest a couple of times.

Having enough of it all, Seonghwa grabbed Hongjoong by his wrists firmly, preventing him from landing anymore blows. "Will you just listen to me for one minute?! Let me explain myself!"

Hongjoong fought against the grip on his wrists for a moment before he finally gave up. "FINE! EXPLAIN THEN!"

"A couple of days before we got on that ship, Hana confronted me at the motel. Remember the huge bruise I had on my cheek? That was a bullshit lie to cover up the fact that she pistol-whipped me. She told me to come back to the organization, and when I refused, she told me that if I made the decision to refuse, then she was going to take you out." Seonghwa explained. "I didn't want to get you involved, I didn't want to hurt you. So instead of telling you about it, I brought you back home and I left."

Hongjoong just dropped his head, sobbing in a heartbreaking manner for a moment before he could bring himself to speak. "You already hurt me... The damage has already been done. You know, I had just gotten over you, I never thought about you even once. Now, seeing you here after so long, you've ripped the wound wide open again..."

Seonghwa let go of his wrists to cup his hands upon Hongjoong's cheeks, making the smaller male look at him. "I never intended for any of this to happen... You have to understand that I didn't have any other choice. I wasn't going to get you killed, and I wasn't going to get you involved in my messes again."

"I do understand... But if you understood the things I've gone through this past couple of years, you would understand how grave the damage you've caused is." Hongjoong choked out through stifled sobs.

"And I'm so sorry... I want to fix-"

"No..." Hongjoong pulled Seonghwa's hands off of his face, taking a step back from him. "I was doing so well without you... If it weren't for Yeosang, I wouldn't be here right now. He's done everything for me since you left, better than you ever could."

Seonghwa blinked a few times in shock, just staring at the sobbing male before him as a sense of hurt began to grow in his chest. "Yeosang..? THE Yeosang? You're really with that fucking prick now?"

"Why do you care? You up and left me, I wasn't going to wait for the day that you decided to come back." Hongjoong spat bitterly, shaking his head as he wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve. Hongjoong decided he'd had enough of the whole situation, turning away and starting to walk away down the alley.

"Hongjoong!" Seonghwa called after him, frowning deeply as he just watched him disappear around the corner, walking down the street.

Seonghwa let out a scoff, slamming his back against the brick wall behind him and sliding down onto the dirty ground. He rested his elbows upon his knees, gripping at his gelled hair tightly as he held his head. He felt tears starting to form, a large lump within his throat.

Everything that he believed would fix the whole situation had completely backfired. In the process of all he'd done, not only did he hurt Hongjoong the most, but he had completely lost him.

It was stupid to feel as if he never intended for anything like this to happen when he knew that this was going to be the outcome anyway. 

He knew he would never be able to fix this, all the damage he could deal was dealt, and he felt there was no possibility of ever changing that.

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	8. Chapter 7

A pair of silk lips pressed against the skin of his neck, a tickling sensation traveling up his side from a set of fingertips exploring the bare landscape.

"Wake up..." A smooth, deep voice called in a sing-songy voice into the sleeping male's ear.

Tangled in a sheer bedsheet, face buried into a pillow made of clouds, and his small frame engulfed by the soft mattress, Hongjoong's eyes slowly fluttered open as he awoke from a deep sleep. A gentle stream of light entered the room through the cracks of the blinds across the room, illuminating the dimly lit room.

A subtly smile curled the corners of his lips. Hongjoong rolled over onto his back slowly, coming face to face with his blonde-haired lover, who hovered over him with an angelic smile and messy hair.

"Yeosang... Why must you always wake me up so early?" Hongjoong sighed out tiredly as he rubbed his eyes.

"You looked so peaceful, but I couldn't wait any longer. I missed your voice, your smile..." Yeosang cooed in a gentle tone, one of his hands brushing back Hongjoong's hair before cupping his cheek.

"You see me every morning and every night..." Hongjoong replied with a wide smile, pulling up the sheet under his armpits. 

Yeosang used his other hand to pull the dark-haired male closer to him by his waist. "That's not enough for me. I want to see you every second of every day..." He leaned his face in close, connecting a slow, passionate, open-mouthed kiss upon Hongjoong's lips.

A flush of excitement and pure bliss vibrated in Hongjoong's chest the moment their lips met, sighing out softly as his arms snaked around his lover's neck.

Despite the rocky past between the two, somehow it brought them together in the end. When Seonghwa had completely vanished, Hongjoong was left with nothing. He had nowhere to go, he had no family, he didn't have friends to take him in, left to defend himself against a large city known for criminal activity, a lamb sent to the slaughter.

Shivering from the cold night air, huddled on the wet concrete beneath a covered doorway of a closed shop, Yeosang found Hongjoong by complete chance. He didn't hesitate to take Hongjoong in, fed him, gave him clothes, and a place to stay until he was able to figure out a better situation. It wasn't long until the two became close, closer than either of them had ever intended. 

Yeosang basically waited on every hand and foot for Hongjoong, whatever he needed, whatever he wanted, Yeosang would do it in a heartbeat without question.

Yeosang broke from the kiss, his gentle lips trailing down the soft skin of Hongjoong's cheek, finding his way down to his neck and collarbone. Hongjoong let out a gentle sigh in response, biting down on the flesh of his bottom lip.

"Yeosang... I need to go to town again today. We can't do this right now." Hongjoong said with a cheeky smile.

"Oh come on..." Yeosang lifted his head to look at him, his hands traveled along Hongjoong's torso, stopping at his thigh and squeezing at the flesh through the sheets. "You don't have to go now, right?"

Hongjoong swallowed dryly when his thigh was grabbed, an electric feeling of excitement shooting through his body. "I-I would like to go soon, y-yes." He stammered slightly.

"Just one time before you leave?" Yeosang peppered Hongjoong's cheek with gentle kisses.

"As much as I would love to, if I accept then we'll be in bed all day," Hongjoong said with a small laugh.

The dark-haired male placed his hand against Yeosang's chest, pushing him back onto the bed before sitting up. Hongjoong threw the sheets off of his waist, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed before getting out of bed.

Yeosang let out a playful groan as he watched the dark-haired male make his way over to the closet to get dressed. "Why do you have to go into town again? Shall I have Vernon escort you after what happened yesterday with-"

"Don't say it." Hongjoong cut him off after knowing where the conversation was going. He glanced over his shoulder at the blonde-haired male on the bed. "Don't even mention his name..."

"I'm sorry, it's just..." Yeosang started as he sat up in bed, running a hand through his hair. "Aren't you just a little worried that he showed up here after all this time? I mean he disappeared for two years and-"

"Yeosang." Hongjoong clenched his jaw slightly, his gaze falling to the floor. "Please... Please don't mention it anymore. The reason he's here has nothing to do with me. He didn't even come back for me to begin with, so please just drop it, alright?"

Yeosang let out a soft sigh when he realized he stepped over a line. He got out of the bed, making his way over to his lover and wrapping his arms around his waist from behind. "I'm sorry, okay? I just worry about you. I only want to ensure your safety is all, you know how much you mean to me." He said before placing a big kiss on his cheek.

"I know... I just don't want to think about it anymore. Out of sight, out of mind." He said before turning around to face Yeosang, cupping his hands on his cheeks. "If it will make you feel better, I'll take Vernon with me. He makes good company when I'm out anyway."

Yeosang flashed a charming smile, nodding his head once. "Alright, that makes me feel better then. Keep your phone at your side, call me if you need anything or if something happens, alright? And don't let Vernon out of your sight."

"I know, Sangie..." Hongjoong gave his lover a gentle peck on the lips, then dropped his hands to his sides. "You should probably get to work on that business proposal. The deadline is in three days, you know."

"I know, I'll get to work on it right now. Be careful out there, love." Yeosang placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I love you, Joong."

"I love you too."

______________________

"Sir, where are we headed to first?" Vernon questioned with a bright smile as he glanced at the dark-haired male in the rearview mirror.

"Haut Enterprises, I need a new outfit for the banquet on Friday," Hongjoong replied, his face buried into the phone in his hand. "And then when we're done there, we need to run to the dry cleaners so I can pick up Yeosang's suits."

"As you wish, sir."

Looking up from his phone, raising a brow with a slight smile. "Vernon, I've told you many times you don't have to be formal with me."

"Ah..." Vernon replied with a nod. "My apologies, s-... Hongjoong."

Hongjoong turned his attention back to his phone, shaking his head slightly with a laugh.

When they arrived at Haut Enterprises, Vernon followed close behind the smaller male as they entered the building. Haut Enterprises was a popular designer clothing establishment, they had everything from casual fashion to elegant designs. The moment Hongjoong would show his face, he was always greeted happily by the employees. His face was very well known, he was their top customer, after all, almost all of his outfits came from there.

"Mr. Kim! It's lovely to see your face today!" A smaller woman called out as she walked up tot eh dark-haired male. "Can I assist you in any way? We have some new designs today but we haven't put them out yet. If you would like first pick, I'll gladly bring it to you."

"There is a formal banquet on Friday and I need a new outfit. I don't want anything too formal, but it can't be casual either. I believe you know my style already." Hongjoong said with a kind tone, giving a charming smile.

"Yes, sir. Just wait in the dressing room and I'll bring out what I believe would fit your style." The woman nodded, soon turning on her heels and making her way into the back.

"You can wait in the lounge area, Vernon. I won't be too long."

With a nod, Vernon removed the cap from his head and made his way over to the waiting area to wait for him.

Hongjoong ran a hand through his fluffy hair, starting to walk across the store toward the dressing rooms in the back. He stepped into one of the little rooms, grabbing ahold of the fabric of the curtains and pulling it shut behind him.

It wasn't too long after he had entered that the smaller woman brought in a pile of different articles of clothing, leaving him to try out what he liked and what he didn't like.

Hongjoong sighed out softly as he stripped off the leather jacket he was wearing, tossing it to the chair in the corner of the dressing room. He grabbed the hem of his shirt, stripping it over his head and letting it fall to the floor. He then kicked off the black boots on his feet, starting to work at the buttons of his jeans.

It was then that Hongjoong heard the curtain open and close. Thinking it was the store employee, Hongjoong looked up into the mirror.

"Did you forget-"

The face he saw in the mirror was not one he wanted to see, especially without wearing a shirt and starting to take off his pants.

"Hongjoong..." Seonghwa stood behind the smaller male, making direct eye contact with him through the mirror.

Hongjoong immediately grabbed his shirt off of the floor, scrambling to put it back on before whipping around to face the black-haired male. Seonghwa had his hair neatly styled as usual. He wore a black suit with gold trim, a white dress shirt with the first few buttons undone underneath the suit jacket. Elegantly dressed and groomed as he always was.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? What are you doing in here?" Hongjoong snapped in a low tone, trying not to cause a whole scene.

"You're a hard person to find nowadays, and I needed to talk to you," Seonghwa said as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his dress pants.

"We have nothing to talk about, Seonghwa, nothing at all." Hongjoong shook his head with a slight frown. "Get the hell out of my dressing room."

Seonghwa took a deep breath before letting out a sigh. "I do. All I need is five minutes, that's all."

"Five minutes for what? To repeat everything you've already told me? I don't have time for this, I don't have time for you, alright?" Hongjoong crossed his arms over his chest.

"Look, I know everything I've done has made me a royal piece of shit, and-"

"I think that's an understatement." Hongjoong spat with a bitter laugh. "My life was just starting to become perfect, I was happy and I have everything I need. You come back out of the blue after two years, and you've fucked my world up once again. What the hell do you want from me?"

Seonghwa's gaze fell to the floor, licking at the inside of his cheek slightly. "I don't know what I want from you. I came here for a business matter but... After running into you yesterday, I can't get you out of my head. I know you've moved on, but-"

"But what?" Hongjoong threw his hands up into the air with a shrug. "Seonghwa, I'm HAPPY. For once in my life after all these years I am HAPPY. Please don't fuck this up for me again. I can't fall into your world again, and I refuse to."

Seonghwa felt the pain of a lump forming in his throat, a warmth flooding into his eyes as tears threatened to form. He drew a deep breath, leaning his head back a bit as he looked up to the ceiling. "I just wanted to make things right, Hongjoong. That's all I wanted, nothing else. You have no idea how all of this has affected me too..."

"Well isn't that unfortunate for you..." A sense of coldness hung heavily in Hongjoong's voice. "Maybe you should've thought about that after leaving me to rot in the streets. And for what? To "protect" me? As I said before, if it weren't for Yeosang, I would've died, I owe him my life, my everything, and I don't owe you a god damn thing."

"Joong-" Seonghwa started, tears starting to form at the corners of his eyes.

"You don't get to call me that anymore, Seonghwa..."

"You're still MY husband, Hongjoong. We are still legally bound together, the least you can do is just listen to me." Seonghwa's voice trembled slightly, soon clearing his throat to keep his composure.

"Then present me the divorce papers..."

With that, Hongjoong grabbed his jacket from the chair and shouldered past Seonghwa pretty hard. He made his way out into the lobby of the store.

"Vernon, let's go. We're leaving right now." Hongjoong demanded.

Hongjoong started out the door with Vernon when he heard Seonghwa calling to him, but all he did was keep walking. 

A ripping pain riddled his chest like something was shredding him open, but Hongjoong kept a stone face. He couldn't let himself fall back into Seonghwa's hands, and it was the last thing he would ever let happen. His life was near perfect, Yeosang treated him like he was on top of the world, and he wasn't going to throw that away for a life of demons and toxicity.

Hongjoong controlled his life now, not Seonghwa, and he was going to ensure it stayed that way no matter what.

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	9. Chapter 8

The banquet. An annual event where big-name executives and C.E.Os would gather together for a night of recognition and celebration of a successful year. It was a grand night of luxury, filled with designer liquor, juicy gossip and a never-ending supply of cocktail foods, the cream of society all gathered together for one night.

This was going to be the first time that Hongjoong had ever attended an event like this, so he had no idea what to expect from it. A part of him was a bit uneasy, knowing he would probably recognize most of the people there, as he had mingled with various businessmen and women while working for Seonghwa. His image had become notorious by association, everyone knew who he was, everyone knew his face. It would surely be an interesting night, but he knew he would be alright if he stayed at Yeosang's side the whole night.

With his arm hooked around Yeosang's arm, they walked in through a set of grand doors that led into a large ballroom. The banquet hall was lined with the grandest decor of golden trim and ivory, a large chandelier made of pure diamonds hung in the center. Press equipped with high definition cameras stood at the entrance, capturing photos of each person that walked in through the doors.

The sound of chatter and laughter blended in with the live band playing soft classical music for ambiance, the whole banquet hall screamed luxury and wealth.

Hongjoong could feel a looming sense of anxiety hanging in his gut, looking around at the sea of people as they made their way through the crowd. He caught a few glimpses from various people, reading the look of slight shock on their faces.

He tightened his grip on Yeosang's arm a bit as he became uncomfortable. "Yeosang... I don't know if I can be here..."

Yeosang looked over at the dark-haired male, turning to him with a smile and grabbing ahold of his shoulders. "Yes, you can. You're just fine, Joong. Don't worry about what people here think of you, alright?"

"That's easy for you to say..." Hongjoong took a glance around at everyone before looking back at Yeosang. "I've done business with more than half of these people here, they know who I am."

"And? You forget I've done business with most of these people as well. You have nothing to worry about." Yeosang reached up with both hands, bringing his face in close and kissing Hongjoong's forehead softly. "Let's introduce ourselves to those we don't know, blend in with the crowd, and we will be fine."

"Yeosang-"

"Joong." Yeosang looked into Hongjoong's eyes. "Relax... Let's just give it a shot, alright? Besides..." Yeosang brought his hands down to his lover's hips, tilting his head. "I think everyone needs to see the eye candy I brought with me tonight. And when we get home later... I'll unwrap this candy wrapper and make you forget all about it. Deal?" Yeosang gave a little smirk, one that always made Hongjoong melt.

Hongjoong bit down on his lip slightly, a small smile forming on his lips. "Alright... Deal."

"Good." Yeosang gave him a gentle peck on the lips. "Now let's go talk to the fine gentleman in the white suit over there." He said pointing to the older man in the corner. 

Hongjoong followed where Yeosang was pointing, taking in a deep breath as he hesitated. "Alright..."

Yeosang snaked an arm around the dark-haired male's waist, walking with him as they made their way over to the man. 

"Well, hello there. I do not believe I've seen you at this event before." Yeosang sparked up a conversation with the man, bowing his head subtly to be polite. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Yeosang Kang, C.E.O of Kang Enterprise, and this is my lovely partner, Hongjoong Kim."

The man gave a friendly smile, nodding his head a bit. "Pleased to meet you both. I'm Victor Juarez, I'm a private investor for big-name companies and stockholders."

"Private investor?" Hongjoong tilted his head slightly, then looked over at Yeosang. "Didn't you say you needed more investors for the company?" He asked before turning his head back to Victor. "I believe we could talk over some business opportunities if you are interested."

Victor gave a grin to the dark-haired male. "If you can give me a good business pitch, I may consider it."

"If there's one thing that Hongjoong is good at, it's sparking a successful negotiation of business. He knows all the statistics of Kang Enterprise, I'll allow him to explain it all to you." Yeosang gestured with his hand for Hongjoong to start explaining.

______________________

After about half an hour of a back and forth exchange with the older man, he clapped his hands together with an impressed laugh. "I believe I'll have pleasure in investing in this business, gentlemen. Allow me to excuse myself for a moment, there's someone I would like both of you to meet. He's a good friend of mine and a headstrong business owner."

Yeosang gave a polite nod. "Of course, sir."

"Wonderful," Victor said before disappearing into the crowd for a moment.

"You're truly amazing, you know that? I should honestly just let you handle all of the business matters from now on." Yeosang said with a soft chuckle, looking over at his lover with admiration. "I could never think of a business proposal like that on the spot."

"I definitely learned a thing or two. Maybe you should change Kang Enterprise to my name, huh?" Hongjoong shot back playfully, wrapping his arms around Yeosang's side and resting his chin on his shoulder.

"Oh yeah..." Yeosang laughed in response, shaking his head. "Never in a million years." He shot back, wrapping an arm around the small frame of Hongjoong's back.

"Gentlemen! This is the man I wanted you to meet!" Victor called out as he broke through the crowd again, approaching the couple with a bright smile.

A taller, slender male came walking through the crowd. His hair was neatly slicked back with gel, wearing the finest attire of the party. He wore a gray suit with a navy blue vest over a gray dress shirt, a pair of navy blue Italian leather boots upon his feet, none other than the infamous Seonghwa Park.

When Hongjoong laid eyes on the male, his heart dropped straight to his feet. He felt as if he were going to throw up right there in front of everyone. A look of shock plastered on Yeosang's face, a brewing sense of anger starting to build up in his chest.

"Meet my good friend-" Victor started.

"Seonghwa Park." Seonghwa cut him off, flashing a fake smile as he looked directly into Yeosang's eyes with an intense gaze. "I believe we've met before." He said as his gaze drifted to Hongjoong.

Hongjoong gripped at Yeosang's suit jacket tightly, pulling on him but he wouldn't budge. "Yeosang, let's go..."

"Victor, if you would excuse us please," Yeosang said in a polite tone, looking over at Victor.

"Of course." With that, Victor dismissed himself into the crowd of people.

Yeosang shot a glare at Seonghwa, clenching his jaw tightly as he tried to keep himself composed. "What the hell are you doing here? You have no business-"

Seonghwa let out a scoff. "Don't flatter yourself, Yeosang... I didn't come here for either of you, I was invited." He said as he pulled a small envelope invitation from the inside of his jacket pocket, holding it in the air between his fingers.

"Please, Yeosang..." Hongjoong pleaded to his lover, knowing very well this would get out of hand very quickly if they didn't walk away.

"What's the rush? We're all here as professionals, stick around and enjoy the party for a while." Seonghwa said with a simple shrug of his shoulders. "Unless you have..." His eyes looked Hongjoong up and down. "Other matters to attend to, Yeosang."

"Seonghwa, enough." Hongjoong snapped at him, seething from the sudden remark Seonghwa made.

"You have no business being here, you have no business in June, Seonghwa. If you lay your eyes on Hongjoong one more time, so help me god..." Yeosang attempted to take a step forward, but Hongjoong held him back as much as he could.

"Yeosang, sto-"

"My eyes have seen way more than yours." Seonghwa taunted with a slight smirk, looking back at Yeosang. "Besides..." Seonghwa approached Yeosang, getting dangerously close as he licked his bottom lip. "I don't see what you could do about it. Last time I checked, I was the one who broke that pretty jaw of yours, and I'll do it again."

Hongjoong had enough, the anger boiling in his gut was spilling over the edge. Stepping between the two males, Hongjoong suddenly shoved Seonghwa away from Yeosang.

"Threaten him again, I dare you. Everyone else here may be afraid of you, but you know damn well I'm not. If you have a fucking problem, you address me, NOT Yeosang. YOU fucked up, Seonghwa, you have NO right threatening him." Hongjoong growled under his breath, staring him dead in the eyes. "Yeosang... Walk away. We're leaving right now."

"I'm not done with-"

"YES, you are." Hongjoong snapped at Yeosang, shooting a look at him over his shoulder.

"It's sad when he has to protect you, and you can't even protect yourself..." Seonghwa shrugged his shoulders once again, raising a brow.

SMACK! Hongjoong had whipped around and connected a hard slap against Seonghwa's cheek, his head jerking to the side from the force of the hit. The sound was loud enough to catch the attention of a few guests of the event, now watching the whole event unfold. Seonghwa blinked a few times, sighing heavily as he clenched his jaw.

"If I see your face around here again without those fucking divorce papers... I'll drop you right where you stand, Seonghwa, don't think that I won't... Watch me." Hongjoong snapped with an intense look in his eyes. 

Hongjoong then grabbed Yeosang by his hand, turning around and dragging Yeosang through the crowd of people towards the banquet hall entrance. All eyes were on them, the chatter had died down at that point.

Seonghwa brought a hand to his face, rubbing at the throbbing heat in his cheek as he let out a slight chuckle. "So much for fixing things, huh, Seonghwa? Fucking idiot." He muttered to himself as he looked around at the eyes that now stared at him. 

"So much for trying to keep a low-profile here..."

________________________

Throwing open the bedroom door, it slammed aggressively against the wall as Hongjoong stomped into the room. "I can't fucking believe him... I can't breathe anymore without him showing up around the corner." He seethed as he ripped off the suit jacket he was wearing, throwing down on the floor. A million different emotions rushed through his mind.

Yeosang followed in behind him, rubbing his forehead with a sigh. "I'm sorry for all of this. We should have left when you wanted to. None of that would've happened if I kept my mouth shut."

"No. Don't even blame yourself for any of that," Hongjoong said as he turned around to face Yeosang. "Seonghwa was looking for a fight, he was trying to push you into doing something so he'd have a reason to humiliate you. That's how he plays his games. He'll never throw the first punch, he'll wait until you snap to take advantage of that weakness."

"I don't know how you ended up marrying him, honestly."

Those words out of Yeosang's mouth seemed to pierce right through Hongjoong, and he didn't understand why. "I-I..." Hongjoong's voice started to quiver, his emotions seeming to take over him all at once. Without warning, tears started to run down his cheeks as he let out a shaky breath. "I really thought I loved him, Yeosang, that's why I married him. It wasn't always bad... We had a lot of good days, a lot of bad days..." Hongjoong brought his hands to his mouth as he broke down from the stress of it all. "But the good days meant everything to me, HE meant everything to me... I just wanted to be happy, and I wish I knew someone like him isn't capable of happiness."

Yeosang could feel his chest tighten from the heartbreaking sobs from his lover. He hated seeing him break down like this. Knowing how emotionally damaged he was by all of this only made Yeosang more upset.

"Come here, Joong..." He said as he held out his arms for the smaller male.

Hongjoong rushed over to Yeosang without hesitating, throwing his arms around him as he just sobbed into his shoulder. Yeosang held him tightly against his chest, rubbing his back soothingly.

"I know it hurts... I can understand how you feel. All these repressed emotions from him disappearing all of a sudden coming to light now that he's back... I know it probably sucks, but I'm going to be here through every step of it no matter what, alright?" Yeosang assured in a soft tone into Hongjoong's ear. "I'm here for you, baby..."

Hongjoong didn't know how to feel about all of the things that had happened. None of it bothered him for the longest time, but now that Seonghwa kept popping up everywhere, it was slowly ripping him apart piece by piece. Memories of the good and bad times started playing in his head like a movie with a tragic ending. He wished he could take every emotion, every memory he ever felt for Seonghwa and set it ablaze. He just wanted to forget about it all, but with Seonghwa back in June, it was going to be harder than ever to accomplish that.

All he could do was cry, that's all he wanted to do. His heart was rotting away in his chest once again, and he felt absolutely pathetic.

What am I going to do with myself? Echoed in his mind over and over on repeat.

...When will this suffering end?

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	10. Chapter 9

The next few days were especially rough for Hongjoong. The wound that had finally closed was ripped open once again, and it felt as if it were hitting him harder than the first time. He couldn't bring himself to eat, he couldn't even sleep either. Yeosang tried his best to be there for him, assuring that he had everything that he needed and that he was at least somewhat comfortable. Yet, he could only do so much, his attempts at cheering him up were to no avail.

Hongjoong was confused, broken, and completely lost all over again.

His senses slowly came back to him, awaking from the two hours of sleep he had managed to get only after crying himself to sleep. Eyes swollen and incredibly bloodshot, they slowly opened, taking in the surroundings of the bedroom.

Rolling over onto his other side, Hongjoong expected to find Yeosang sleeping beside him, but all he saw was messy, empty sheets and a single piece of paper lying on the pillow beside him.

Hongjoong reached out a hand, taking the piece of paper in between his index finger and middle finger, and bringing the note to his face so he could read what was written on it.

𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆. 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒇𝒆𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔, 𝑰'𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒐𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑. 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒔, 𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕.

𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

~ 𝒀𝒆𝒐𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒈

Hongjoong let out a soft sigh, setting the note down onto the sheets of the bed before slowly sitting up in bed. His messy, unwashed hair draped over his eyes as it fell down into his face. He brought his hands to his face, rubbing his puffy, irritated eyes with a soft whine. He threw the sheets off of his waist, scooting out of the bed and plopping his feet onto the ground. Grabbing a fluffy, crimson-colored robe from the lounge chair beside the bed, he slipped his arms through the sleeves and tied the robe around his body.

Making his way out of the bedroom, his feet made small tapping sounds as he walked down the grand set of wooden steps leading to the ground floor of the home. Vernon, who was sitting on one of the loveseats placed in the foyer, looked up from the book he was reading to see the smaller male coming down the steps.

"Good morning, Hongjoong. I know I'm not Yeosang, but I know how terrible you've felt lately so I offered to take care of you while he went to work. I hope that's alright." Vernon said with a subtle smile.

Hongjoong paused for a moment when he reached the foot of the stairs, lifting his head to peer through the curtain of hair in his eyes and looking at Vernon. "Thank you... But I'm fine, at least for right now. You can just relax, Vernon..."

"But, sir-" Before Vernon could protest, Hongjoong turned and made his way down the hallway that led to the kitchen. He didn't want to push him, so he decided to do as he said and just leave him be.

When Hongjoong had gotten into the kitchen, he grabbed a single glass from the cupboard beside the kitchen sink, then proceeded to fill it up with water. He made his way over to the center island, climbing up onto one of the bar stools with a deep sigh.

He brought the glass to his lips, grasping it with both of his hands and taking small sips of the water at a time. He could feel his emotions start to build up once again, taking over him like a curse with no way to break it. Hesitating with the glass against his lips, he shut his eyes for a moment to try and choke back the overwhelming feeling. 

Hongjoong then set the glass onto the table, his head lowering toward the countertop. He couldn't hold it back anymore, his eyes started to burn incredibly as tears flooded into his eyes. He let out a shaky breath, a couple of his own tears dropping into his glass of water with soft plops.

The sound of pounding on the front door echoed through the home, Hongjoong raising his head slightly in response. If someone was coming by the house, Yeosang would've told him, so this made him curious as to who would be here at this time.

He could hear the front door open, Vernon must've answered the door. It wasn't too long after that he could hear voices engaging in an increasingly heated argument.

Hongjoong hopped down from the barstool, quickly making his way down the hallway towards the foyer so he could investigate what was unfolding.

"You very well know you are not welcome here!" Vernon protested with a raised voice.

"You don't understand! I need to-" Seonghwa's voice had cut short when he saw the dark-haired male approaching from behind Vernon.

Hongjoong wiped away the last few tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand as he came to Vernon's side. He placed a hand on his shoulder, sniffling slightly. "It's okay, Vernon... I'll handle this, alright?"

"Hongjoong-"

"Just leave us for a moment. I can handle this." Hongjoong forced a weak smile, giving a small nod of his head.

Vernon looked from Hongjoong to the black-haired male standing at the door. With a deep sigh, he finally backed down as he was told to, walking away soon after.

Hongjoong then turned to the taller male, gripping ahold of the door as he looked up at him. "What do you want..? What are you doing here?" His voice trembled slightly as he tried to keep himself together.

Seonghwa took a brief moment to look over the smaller male. He was incredibly pale, his hair looked like it hadn't been washed in days, and from what he could see, his eyes were incredibly irritated and still drying from fresh tears. He looked absolutely horrible, it made his chest tighten at the sight.

"I just... I wanted to talk to you." Seonghwa looked at his feet, clearing his throat softly. "I, um... Can I just have a minute?"

Hongjoong swallowed hard as he hesitated for a moment. He was too drained to make an attempt to argue him, so he just caved into it. "Fine... Make it quick, I really don't have the energy for this..."

Seonghwa gestured with his head for the smaller male to come outside, and Hongjoong had slowly stepped outside, pulling the door shut behind him. He crossed his arms over his chest, chewing on the inside of his dehydrated lips.

"I just wanna start with an apology for how I behaved at the banquet. Seeing you hang all over Yeosang was a sudden wake-up call for me, and I shouldn't have acted in such a manner. It was uncalled for and unnecessary on my part. So, with that, I'm truly sorry." Seonghwa said as he took a deep breath.

"Alright?" Hongjoong shrugged his shoulders with a subtly shake of his head. "Is that all you came by for?"

"No, I... I, um..." Seonghwa let out a scoff, a sad, awkward chuckle coming from his lips. "You told me not to show up again without the, um..." Seonghwa had suddenly choked on his words. He bit down on his top and bottom lip between his teeth, clearing the lump that was forming in his throat. "Without the divorce papers, so..."

Seonghwa reached into his suit jacket, pulling an orange envelope from his suit jacket, holding it out to Hongjoong with a forced smile. "Here they are..."

Hongjoong blinked a few times as he stared at the envelope presented to him, reality seeming to barrel through him like a freight train. He slowly reached out a hand, grabbing ahold of the envelope and taking it from Seonghwa. His hands trembled softly as he just stared at the envelop he held, his lip starting to quiver and his brows furrowing together.

It was then that Hongjoong tightened his grip, crumpling the thin paper slightly as he just broke down into tears. He could feel himself become weak like he were about to faint right were he stood, bringing a hand to his forehead.

Seonghwa was a bit confused at this reaction, he was expecting a bright-eyed, hopeful reaction from him. Instead, there he stood just falling apart at the seams in front of him.

"Hongjoong..?"

Hongjoong looked back up at Seonghwa with a broken expression. "I loved you, you know... With every ounce of my being, I loved you to death, Seonghwa. You were my whole world..." He choked out through his sobs. "There were so many times that I was ready to lay my life down for you, there was nothing I wasn't willing to do for you. And you just..." Hongjoong leaned back against the door frame, sliding down and sitting on the porch with his head in his hands. "You just left me. You took my whole world, and you set it on fire... I wanted to spend my whole life with you, Seonghwa..."

Seonghwa stared at the smaller male huddled down on the ground, swallowing hard at his confession. "I-I'm... I'm sorry for what I've put you through. None of this was ever my intention. I shouldn't have hidden it from you, I shouldn't have left you alone, and I don't know how many times I'll have to say I'm sorry for you to believe me."

"Did you really have no choice? Was there nothing else that you could've done?" Hongjoong looked back up at Seonghwa, wiping his tears once again with the back of his hand, now setting the envelope on the ground.

Seonghwa looked around for a moment as he drew a shaky breath. "There was nothing I could do, Hongjoong. I tried to weigh out my options, what was best... I knew that if I let you back into this life, it would only hurt you again and I'd lose you. I also knew if I refused, I would've gotten you killed. I didn't want to hurt you, and I didn't want to be the cause of your death. I had no choice, and it's killed me every single day since then." Tears started to prick the corners of his eyes. "I know I fucked up, I know I've destroyed everything. That's all I ever do, I take and destroy everything in my path, and I'm so sorry I did this to you." Through his brewing sobs, he forced a smile at Hongjoong. "At least you finally have a chance at a happy life with someone that can give you everything that I couldn't... I hope you can forget about me, about us, and just move onto a better life. That's all I want for you..."

Hongjoong ran a hand through his hair as he laid his head back against the doorway, tears continuing to fall down his cheeks as he just stared at Seonghwa. "How did it all ever come to this? Where did we go wrong? I mean... We were happy, right? Were you happy with me?"

Seonghwa had to turn away for a moment so Hongjoong couldn't see him just break down into a mess of tears. He shut his eyes for a moment, placing his hands upon his hips as he dropped his head. "I-I... I was happier than I could ever be, Joong... But we... We weren't good for each other. I can't give you the life you want, I can't make you happy anymore."

"I miss you every day, Seonghwa... I shouldn't. I should hate you, I should tear you apart for everything that's happened, but I can't. I just can't..." Hongjoong said with a broken tone, finally pulling himself back to his feet. "Despite the bad days, I was happy with you, Seonghwa. Don't ever think that I wasn't. You were my first love, my first marriage. That's not something I'll just get over."

Seonghwa looked back at Hongjoong with despair in his eyes, slowly turning back around to face him as he wiped tears away. "I'm sorry... I'm so fucking sorry. Just, please... I hope your life gets better from this point on. I'll have someone come by and pick up the papers tomorrow. You'll be free from me, from my life. That's the best and last thing I can ever do for you."

Suddenly, Hongjoong rushed at him, throwing his arms around Seonghwa's torso, gripping onto the fabric of his suit jacket so tight that his hands trembled. He didn't even think about it, all he knew was that he needed to do this just once.

Seonghwa hesitated for a moment, looking down at the smaller male with sad eyes. His heart ached in his chest, knowing this would probably be the last time that he would ever get to have a moment like this. He wrapped his arms around Hongjoong tightly, pressing his face into the hair on his head as tears ran down his cheeks. He had waited desperately for a chance to hold Hongjoong in his arms again, he missed the way their bodies fit together so perfectly in an embrace. 

It was time for Seonghwa to leave, he couldn't stick around for longer than he needed to. This was the last time he would ever see Hongjoong face to face, and this was the last time he would ever hold him. All of this was more painful than being set on fire and left to burn alive.

Seonghwa grabbed the smaller male by his arms, prying him off of him gently. Through a trembling smile and reddened eyes, Seonghwa looked into Hongjoong's eyes for a brief moment. "Just remember to be happy, move on. And... This is the last time I'll say I love you, and I'm sorry."

When Seonghwa pulled away from him, Hongjoong watched as he turned around and trotted down the porch steps toward his car, Seonghwa didn't waste any time in pulling off down the driveway.

The tears started flowing heavier than before, Hongjoong let out a pain-filled cry as he just squatted to the ground, his head falling into his knees. He continued to cry loudly and hyperventilate from the devastating pain riddling his chest.

Hearing the sobs, Vernon came running out of the front door, immediately rushing to Hongjoong's side and grabbing his shoulder gently. "Sir! Are you alright? What happened?"

Hongjoong couldn't do anything but cry, he couldn't form the words he wanted to. Vernon just helped him back up, starting to help him back inside and grabbing the envelope from the ground on their way in.

That was the end of everything, and instead of being happy it was all over, it only ruined Hongjoong even more. He thought he was broken and lost before, but now he'd just fallen into oblivion. 

Nothing could even compare to the pain he felt.

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	11. Chapter 10

Hongjoong had sat up the whole night in bed, trying to piece together the scattered thoughts that raced through his head. When Yeosang came home that night, Hongjoong didn't even utter a word to him, even when he had laid next to him to go to bed. He needed to figure out what exactly he wanted, and he didn't even know where to begin.

The sun had barely begun to shine through the blinds of the windows when Yeosang began to stir in bed beside Hongjoong. The dark-haired male then looked over at Yeosang, chewing on the inside of his lips nervously. If there was any kind of helpful advice he could get, Yeosang would be the one to give the best kind.

"Yeosang..? Are you awake?" Hongjoong called out in a soft tone, hoping he would wake up to talk to him.

The blonde-haired male let out a soft groan, slowly turning over in bed to face Hongjoong before opening his eyes. "I am now... Did you not sleep again?"

"N-No... I couldn't sleep." Hongjoong's gaze fell into his lap with a gentle sigh. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Joong, it's-"

"Please. You said I could talk to you about anything at any time." 

Yeosang let out a tired sigh, then pushed himself up in bed to rest his back up against the headboard. "Alright. I'm officially up. What do you need to talk about?" He yawned a bit, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes.

"I'm really confused, and..." Hongjoong paused to rub his face. "And I didn't want to talk this out with you, but I don't want to hide anything from you. I still haven't signed the divorce papers. I haven't even taken the papers out of the envelope to read them."

Yeosang furrowed his brows slightly, cocking his head to one side as he looked at Hongjoong. "Why haven't you signed them? Isn't this what you've wanted? To be separated from him totally?"

"That's what I'm confused about. I don't know what I want. The thoughts in my head are so jumbled and complicated, I don't even know where to begin at this point." Hongjoong let his head fall back against the headboard, staring up at the ceiling. 

"Well..." Yeosang took a deep breath, folding his hands in his lap. "Answer this question then. Do you still love him?"

Hongjoong lifted his head, looking over at Yeosang as he seemed to hesitate. "I-I... I don't know. I know I shouldn't, and I still have this sense of hatred for him abandoning me, but..."

"But?" Yeosang raised a brow slightly, meeting Hongjoong's gaze.

"But... He was my first love, Yeosang. The first person I've ever loved romantically, the first person I've ever been with. I know deep down in some part of my heart, I'll always love him regardless of what he's done." Hongjoong shook his head sightly with a shrug.

Yeosang bit down on his top and bottom lip, giving a subtle nod of his head. "Alright. Do you want to be with him?"

"I-I mean... I'm with you, so-"

"That's not answering the question I asked. Being with me has nothing to do with the question, Joong." Yeosang sat up from the headboard, shifting his waist to face Hongjoong and look him in the eyes. "You can be honest with me. I'd rather you be honest than let the truth bottle up."

"I-I..." Hongjoong licked at his lips before taking the flesh of his bottom lip in between his teeth to bite down on it. He had to think about it for a moment before he could give Yeosang an answer. "I know it's wrong but... I do. I think part of me will always want to be with him."

Yeosang looked away from Hongjoong, drawing a deep breath as a subtle smile came to his lips, a slight aching in his chest. "So in conclusion... I know you love me, but I'm not the one you need... Correct?"

"Yeosang, that's not what-"

"Come on... I said be honest with me." Yeosang found the strength to look back at Hongjoong. "I get it, I do. I can make you happy, but I don't fulfill what you need. I don't have the same effect on you as he does, and I never will. That's just how it is, and I truly get it."

"Yeosang-"

"Hongjoong." Yeosang gave a slight chuckle, shaking his head lightly as his gaze fell into his lap. "I'm not going to try and persuade you to feel a certain way about me. I swore to do everything I could to make you happy. If happiness means running back into Seonghwa's arms, fixing your broken marriage, then I'm not going to do a thing to stop you."

Hongjoong's bottom lip started to quiver slightly, struggling to swallow the lump in his throat and hold back forming tears.

"Don't cry. No more crying." Yeosang reached out, cupping his hands on Hongjoong's cheeks with a warm smile. "My home is still open to you, and it always will be. As I said, I'm not the one you need, but I'm still going to continue to support you until you get back the one person you do need. You can stay here as long as you like, or until you can find a place of your own. I'll continue to feed you, clothe you, and give you all the money you need."

Hongjoong placed his hands over Yeosang's hands, blinking away a few tears. "I can't even express how grateful I am for you, for everything you've done for me. I'll always cherish the memories we made, and I'm so sorry for all of this."

"Don't be sorry, alright? I'm not mad at you, I'll never hold this against you. If happiness is him, then so be it. All I want is your happiness." Yeosang leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss upon the skin of Hongjoong's forehead.

"Thank you..."

_____________________

The faint sound of violins filled the air from inside his hotel room, setting a calming atmosphere as Seonghwa sat out on the balcony. His legs were crossed over one another, sitting at the small metal table with his laptop sat in front of him.

In his right hand, he held half of a lit cigarette between his index finger and middle finger. He brought the butt of the cigarette to his lips, taking a deep lung full of the potent smoke while he reviewed the report before him on the screen. A white cloud rolled out from between his lips, floating up into the gentle breeze that blew from behind him.

Since he wasn't going anywhere that day, he didn't even bother to change out of the comfy clothes he wore. His ebony-colored was messily brushed back out of his eyes, he wore a navy blue, long-sleeved crew-neck shirt with a pair of light grey joggers and house shoes on his feet.

He was expecting the man he ordered to pick up the papers to return at any moment, knowing the moment he saw Hongjoong's signature on the paper, that was the end of everything, and that's how it should be.

Seonghwa heard a faint pounding on the door of his hotel room, so he quickly smashed the cigarette into the ashtray before standing up from his chair. Shoving one of his hands into his pocket, Seonghwa made his way back into the room toward the door.

"Coming, hang on..."

Seonghwa reached out for the door handle, twisting it and throwing the door open as he turned around to head back to his computer. "Just drop the papers on the bed, I'm busy right now. He didn't put up too much of an argument, did he?"

The door shut behind him soon after, but there was no reply to the question he asked. 

Seonghwa then paused in his steps, turning back around to look at who entered. "Are you not going to-" He immediately fell silent when he saw who was standing before the door of his room. "Hongjoong..?"

"If you're wondering, no... I didn't put up any kind of argument. It did take some convincing to get here though." Hongjoong held the envelope in his hands, forcing a slight smile. 

"What are you doing here?" Seonghwa had a confused look on his face as he slowly approached the smaller male. 

"I needed to talk to you. Considering I had no idea where you were staying, I managed to convince you little goon to let me see you when he came for the papers."

"Talk to me about what?" Seonghwa raised a brow, stopping just a couple of feet from Hongjoong. "Did you sign the papers?"

Hongjoong drew a deep breath, licking at the inside of his cheek as he looked down at his feet. "Actually, no. I couldn't sign them."

Seonghwa let out a slight scoff, looking around the room for a moment before laying his eyes back on the dark-haired male. "What do you mean you couldn't sign them?"

"That's what I'm here to talk to you about, Seonghwa. I can't sign these papers because this isn't what I truly want. I don't want to get divorced..." Hongjoong looked back up at Seonghwa, meeting the taller male's gaze.

Seonghwa blinked a few times as his brows cinched together. "You don't want to get divorced? Then what is it you truly want, Hongjoong?"

"I wanna try and fix everything that's happened."

Seonghwa let out a sudden laugh, taken back by what just came out of Hongjoong's mouth. "Are you an idiot? What about Yeosang? I thought you were "finally happy" for once in your life?"

"I already talked with Yeosang, he understands and agrees with me. Yeosang makes me happy, but he doesn't make me feel the way you do. I fell in love with you, I married you, and I can't just let that fall apart." Hongjoong said in a small tone.

"Hongjoong..." Seonghwa shook his head, taking a step back. "That can't happen. I told you before I'm NOT getting you involved in this life anymore. I'm only going to hurt you again, ruin things more than I already have."

"You can still do your job without involving me in the process. I don't like what you do, and I probably never will, but I can't control your life and how you handle things."

"Hongjoong, I can't do this. I seriously can't, alright?" Seonghwa ran a hand through his hair as he sighed deeply. "You know I'm not good for you, and I never will be. After seeing how you looked yesterday, I realized THAT was the devastating effect that I had on you. I've royally destroyed the person you used to be. I'm no good, Hongjoong, it won't work."

Hongjoong's gaze fell to the floor once again, biting down on his bottom lip softly as he could feel tears well up in his eyes. "I-I..." When his voice choked, he just fell silent. He started to feel like an idiot for even coming there in the first place.

When Seonghwa saw a couple of tears fall from Hongjoong's eyes, he could feel his chest tighten and ache. "I'm sorry, Hongjoong. I don't know what else to tell you."

"S-Seonghwa, I-I..." Hongjoong inhaled sharply as he pressed the back of his hand against his lips, trying to stifle the small cries that begun to escape. "I-I just want one more t-try... I wanna s-start over... F-Fix things and..."

Seonghwa watched the smaller male slowly fall apart before him, sighing out deeply. "I'm sorry I've disappointed you, Hongjoong."

"Seonghwa, please..." Hongjoong looked up at him with tearful eyes, sniffling a few times. "Please..."

The taller male got closer to Hongjoong, now cupping his hands upon his cheeks. "I can't... Time heals everything, and I know you'll get over me after a while. You started to just before I came back, you can do it again."

Hongjoong gripped Seonghwa's wrists as he shook his head. "I don't want to... I don't want to be with anyone besides you, and I'll never love anyone the way I loved you. Please, Seonghwa, we can make this work. Please." Hongjoong pleaded through his cries. "Please..."

"I'll give you a few more days to think over signing the papers..."

"No! Seonghwa, please..." Hongjoong tightened his grip on Seonghwa's wrists as he dropped his head, just sobbing pathetically.

Seonghwa could feel a lump forming in his throat, his bottom lip trembling subtly. "I'll always be here when you need me, but we can't do this. You know we can't do this."

"I don't wanna lose you again, Seonghwa... I can't handle it. I'm begging you, please..." Hongjoong had managed to press his face into Seonghwa's chest, now gripping at the shirt he wore as he continued to cry.

Seonghwa shut his eyes tightly for a moment, drawing a shaky breath in an attempt to compose himself. "We'll talk about this later. Right now, you need to go home. You need to eat, and you need to rest. You're not thinking clearly to be making this decision. Come back to me in a few days with the papers signed, when you're thinking logically."

"I'm thinking clearly! I promise I am! Seonghwa, please! For fuck's sake, please..." Hongjoong pulled his face from Seonghwa's chest, looking up at him with pleading, tearful eyes.

"Go home..."

Hongjoong stared up at Seonghwa for the longest time before slowly pulling away from him. His chest ached horribly, he felt like a complete idiot for making a whole scene and begging for something that would never happen again. "Seonghwa..."

Seonghwa forced a smile through trembling lips, then turned around to head back to where his laptop was.

Hongjoong just shook his head in defeat, he didn't need to stay there anymore. Without another word, Hongjoong just left.

Seonghwa plopped down into his chair, his head falling back as he just started to break down. He brought his hands to his face, sobbing into his hands pathetically. He desperately wanted to start over with Hongjoong, but he knew that he couldn't let that happen. As much as he craved to feel Hongjoong wrapped in his embrace, to hear his laugh, to see his smile in the morning, to be able to love him all over again, he couldn't do that to him.

Seonghwa knew he wasn't good enough for Hongjoong, and rejecting him when Hongjoong wanted him most felt like a freight train hitting him square in the chest.

"I'm so sorry, Hongjoong... God, I'm so sorry..."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	12. Chapter 11

When Hongjoong had returned home that afternoon, he was visibly upset when he came in through the door. Yeosang did his best to be there for him, eventually calming him down.

Yeosang was tired of seeing Hongjoong cry over Seonghwa. After hearing all that had happened from the visit he paid to him, he felt he needed to give the whole situation a shove. Hongjoong needed Seonghwa, and Yeosang very well knew that Seonghwa needed Hongjoong.

If Hongjoong couldn't get to him, maybe he could.

______________________

The sun had just disappeared below the horizon, the sky turning a dark, midnight blue as the day faded into night. The most beautiful thing about June was at night time, everything seemed to light up like a starry night sky, skyscrapers and streetlights illuminating the city.

As it was getting later, Seonghwa, who sat comfortably in a black silk robe on the chaise, closed the laptop sat upon his lap and set it on the coffee table beside him.

He swung his legs over the edge of the chaise, pushing himself off with his hands as he stood to his feet. Just as he was heading over toward the bed, he heard someone pounding at the door.

Seonghwa paused for a moment as he looked over at the door. He had already dismissed his men for the night, so no one should be banging on his door at this hour.

Grabbing his suit jacket from the floor, he removed a single revolver from the holster attached to the fabric. He tucked his hand behind his back, slowly making his way over to the door.

"Who is it?" He called out, anxiously waiting for an answer.

"It's Yeosang, you ass. Open the door."

Yeosang? What's he doing here? Seonghwa thought to himself, hesitating at the door for a moment.

Finally, Seonghwa slid out the chain lock from the door, then opened the door just a crack to peer out at the blonde-haired male.

"What do you want?"

"I want to talk to you for a moment. I didn't come to offend you, I didn't come to fight you either. I just want a chance to have a calm, civil conversation with you." Yeosang said as he tilted his head. "Will you let me in?"

"Why are you here so late? Can't it wait until the morning? I was just about to-"

"Are you gonna let me in or not? It's about Hongjoong, Seonghwa, and I think you need to hear it." Yeosang looked at the black-haired male with a serious look in his eyes.

"I already told-" Seonghwa fell silent for a moment, then drew a deep breath before sighing. "Alright..."

Seonghwa pulled the door open, stepping to the side to allow Yeosang to enter. He reached over to the table beside the door, setting the gun down that was in his hand.

As Yeosang entered the room, he raised a brow when he noticed the gun. He shot a look at Seonghwa. "You were going to shoot me?"

"No, not you specifically. I didn't know who was at the door and mind you, I have a LOT of people who want to kill me in this city." Seonghwa dismissed, then shut the door to his room before walking over to his bed.

"So what's so important about Hongjoong that you felt it was necessary to come here late at night?" Seonghwa questioned, plopping down onto the bed and looking at Yeosang.

Yeosang grabbed a chair from the table near the bed, dragging it over to sit in front of Seonghwa. "I wanna tell you something."

"Alright. Go on, I'm listening."

"Two years ago, I was on my way back home from a business meeting later in the evening. We had to take a detour because the main street was closed for repaving. I just so happened to notice someone very familiar huddled in the doorway of a shop. It was cold, wet from fresh rain."

"Where is this story-"

"It was Hongjoong. Shivering, starving, one more night away from death." Yeosang frowned slightly as he spoke.

Seonghwa blinked a few times, swallowing hard as the realization hit him. He felt guilty before, but now he just felt absolutely pitiful. "Yeosang-"

"No. You shut up and listen." Yeosang snapped slightly as he pointed a finger at him. "I had my driver stop along the side of the road, I carried him to the car, and I brought him home. I fed him, I clothed him, and I made sure he had a warm place to sleep. Hearing about what you did to him... I wanted to hunt you down and hang you by your toes. These past two years, I've given him every damn thing in the world to heal the wounds YOU created."

"And I appreciate-"

"I'm not done. Now that you've come back, you've shaken his world once again. After all you've done to him, the pain you've put him through, he still loves you. He NEEDS you, he doesn't want anyone but you. Why? Only he knows that answer. But the one thing I do know, you're a fucking prick for rejecting him after he realized he still wanted you."

Seonghwa's gaze fell into his lap, chewing on the inside of his lip. He brought his hands to his head, interlocking his fingers into his hair and gripping onto it tightly.

"I don't want to hurt him anymore, Yeosang. I know he deserves better, someone who hasn't already ripped his world apart. I'm not good for him."

"Do you love him, Seonghwa? Do you want his happiness over anything in the world?" Yeosang leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

Seonghwa lifted his head out of his hands to look at Yeosang. "I love him more than anything, and that will never change. All I've ever wanted was for him to be happy."

"Then you quit acting like a coward, and you fix this shit right now. He's happy with you, he would give his life for you, and he would risk everything to be at your side no matter what. I'm here telling this all to you because I hate seeing him cry, I want his happiness just as much as you do, but he's not happy WITHOUT you, and he never has been." Yeosang stood up from the chair with a deep sigh. "Even with trying my hardest, I'm not the one he wants, and I'm not going to force him to want me."

"I can't-"

Yeosang suddenly got in his face, looking him in eyes with a serious look. "Fix this shit, Seonghwa. Quit running from the one person who had loved you regardless of your flaws, you're doing more damage than good, and you won't find anyone else willing to do the things that he has. You MAKE HIM HAPPY, or I'll handle you myself for being a royal ass."

When Yeosang pulled away, Seonghwa just stared at him as he walked away, leaving his hotel room without another word. He was definitely given a lot to think over and a big decision to make.

He had to decide if he wanted to have his chance with Hongjoong or push him away for good.

He didn't know what to do, or where to start.

______________________

It took Seonghwa a couple of days to finally figure out what it was that he wanted. He spent every second of the day and night, weighing out right and wrong of the whole situation. Once he finally reached his decision, he figured it would be best to go to Hongjoong himself with what he decided.

There was a faint sound of rocks crunching beneath the tires of his car as he pulled into the driveway of Yeosang's home. Seonghwa came to a halt in front of the porch steps, putting the car in park and turning it off. He pulled the keys out of the ignition, just staring at his steering wheel for a moment as his nerves vibrated in his gut. Part of him wanted to leave, but part of him knew that he needed to do this.

Seonghwa opened the driver door, climbing out of the driver's side and adjusting his turtle neck. As he shut the door to his car, he heard someone coming out of the front door, the door slamming behind them. The black-haired male turned around, meeting direct eye contact with none other than Hongjoong himself. He was dressed as if he were going somewhere, the orange envelope held in his hand.

Both males seemed to stare at each other in silence for the longest time before either of them ever said anything. 

"I-I was actually just coming to drop this off to you..." Hongjoong broke the silence with a soft tone, biting down on his lip a bit hard.

"Oh... Let me see it." Seonghwa rounded the car, jogging up the porch steps and approaching the smaller male. He held out his hand to take the envelope from him. "Hand it over."

Hongjoong seemed to hesitate, looking from Seonghwa to the envelope in his hand. His gaze fell to the floor as he then held the envelope out to him. "I'm sorry it took me so long..."

Seonghwa took the envelope from Hongjoong, holding it in one hand while he pulled out the papers to look at them. His eyes fell to the dotted line at the bottom of the page, seeing Hongjoong's signature scribbled along with it.

"I see... Well..." Seonghwa took a deep breath, looking back up at the smaller male before him. "This just won't do."

Seonghwa gripped the edge of the papers in the middle, then started ripping them up piece by piece. 

Hongjoong widened his eyes, looking back up at Seonghwa in shock. "What are you doing?! Why are you ripping it up?!"

Tossing the shredded paper over his shoulder, Seonghwa just gave a simple shrug of his shoulders. "There's no need for them when the divorce isn't happening anymore."

"W-What..?" Hongjoong tilted his head with confusion, furrowing his brows slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I was stupid to leave you, I was stupid to turn you away. I realized that there is no one else in the world that can love me like you do, and there is no one else in the world that I'll ever love like I love you. We've been to hell and back, beaten and broken along the way, and I would do it all over again for you." Seonghwa looked away for a moment as a slight smile curled the corners of his lips. "I know I'm not good for you, and you deserve the world on a golden platter, but if it's me that you want, then I'm not going to turn you away. Not again."

Hongjoong blinked a few times, letting out a sudden scoff as he was taken back by all of this. "I-I thought-"

Seonghwa looked back at Hongjoong, reaching out for his hand and pulling the smaller male closer to him. Snaking one arm around his waist and cupping Hongjoong's cheek with his other hand, he looked deeply into Hongjoong's dark-colored eyes. Hongjoong could feel his heart stop beating in his chest, he had no idea what to do in that moment.

"Forget the things I've said, Joong. I can't push you away anymore when I've desperately wanted to hold you again every second of every day when I was gone. I can't do it to you again, I can't leave you, and I won't." Seonghwa said in a soft tone as he shook his head slightly. "If you want me to stay for the rest of my life, then you've got me."

Hongjoong's wounded heart started to fill with hope. After all this time thinking that everything was over and done between them, that was no longer the case. Hongjoong had opened his mouth to say something, but before he could even utter a word, Seonghwa's silky lips encased his with a longing kiss.

The smaller male made a slight whimpering sound as he completely melted into the kiss, gripping ahold of Seonghwa's shirt with both hands tightly. A radiating heat ignited in his chest, soon waving over the rest of his body. This kiss felt exactly as it did the first time that Seonghwa had ever kissed him, being in his arms made him feel invincible and safe. He never knew just how bad he craved this moment until he was already engulfed by it.

When Seonghwa finally pulled away from the kiss, his lips still hovered over Hongjoong's, and he noticed the gentle stream of tears down Hongjoong's cheeks. Seonghwa frowned slightly, fearing he had done something wrong. 

"Joong, I'm sorry-"

"No... I'm not upset... I've waited so long for this day, Seonghwa." Hongjoong whimpered through soft cries, a mixture of joy and sadness flooding through him. "I missed you so much, my world was so empty without you."

"You won't have to feel like that again, alright? Never again." Seonghwa placed his hand on the back of his head, bringing the smaller male into his chest and holding him securely in his arms. 

"I'm never going anywhere without you again, Joong. Never..."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	13. Chapter 12

It had been a couple of weeks since Hongjoong and Seonghwa had decided to try and fix their rocky marriage. Maybe they were both idiots for doing this, but it was undeniable that they loved each other like crazy. It was going to work this time, and both of them were going to ensure that.

Once Seonghwa finally dealt with the business he came for in the first place, he took Hongjoong with him this time when he left to go back home. He knew it was going to be difficult hiding the way he handled business, but he swore to Hongjoong that he would never see or hear the things he would do. His business and their relationship would be two different things, and this time, Hongjoong would come first.

Seonghwa's new estate was placed on the western coast of the country. It wasn't as grand as the estate he owned in June, but it was close enough.

Placed along the edge of a shoreline, overlooking the vast blanket of ocean before it, it seemed like a paradise each time the sun would disappear beyond the horizon. Seonghwa owned a whole two-mile section of the shoreline, an empty beach reserved for him and only him.

It was a remote, quiet place, far from the disruptions of the city. It was perfect, now that he had Hongjoong with him, he had everything all over again.

______________________

Their bedroom was on the top floor of the home, with large windows stretching from ceiling to floor, it overlooked the ocean before them.

The sun had just barely begun to rise in the east, the sky turning a faint color of blue.

Hongjoong had struggled to sleep the night before. It wasn't because there was something keeping him up, it was just one of those nights that he couldn't sleep properly.

Rolling onto his side, his gaze fell upon the sleeping black-haired male beside him in bed. He couldn't even express how much he missed waking up to Seonghwa every morning.

He was just so perfect, every curve of his body was practically gifted by Gods. Even with his mouth parted open slightly with gentle snores, an arm draped over his forehead, and long, messy bangs draping over his eyes, Seonghwa still looked perfect.

Hongjoong couldn't help but allow his eyes to wander the bare landscape of his husband's torso. He loved how Seonghwa wasn't incredibly buff, but his body was toned in all the right ways. The muscle definition in his arms and abdomen was just right.

How did I become blessed with such a man? Flawed, sure, but oh MY GOD... Hongjoong thought to himself, taking his bottom lip between his teeth and biting down upon it.

With a growing situation causing his underwear to feel tight, he knew exactly what he was going to do then.

Hongjoong slowly sat up in bed, scooting over towards the sleeping male. He leaned his face down into Seonghwa's neck, kissing at the soft flesh as a hand explored the length of Seonghwa's chest.

"Seonghwaaa~" Hongjoong cooed into his ear, soon nipping at his ear lobe.

As Seonghwa started to wake up, a slight smirk peaked the corner of his lips. He drew a deep breath, a tired groan escaping soon after.

"Hongjoong... I'm trying to sleep." Seonghwa's voice was deeper and raspier than usual. He just turned his face away, not even bothering to open his eyes.

"You can sleep some more later... I wanna play." Hongjoong whined softly, pouting out his lips. "Seonghwaaaaa..."

"For once, it's definitely too early for that, and I'm tired." Seonghwa huffed out in response.

"Fine, then I'll do all the work myself." Hongjoong fired back with defiance. If his lover was too tired to give him what he wanted, then he would take matters into his own hands.

Hongjoong pulled back the sheets of Seonghwa's waist, then positioned himself between the gap of his legs. He slipped his fingers into the waistband of Seonghwa's boxers, tugging them down until it revealed the lengthy member hidden beneath them.

"Hongjoong- Ah..." Seonghwa had started to protest, but he was cut off by his own moans. Hongjoong had taken his member into his mouth, feeling the sensation of his velvet tongue sliding down the length until the tip pressed into the back of his throat.

Seonghwa's eyes finally opened slightly, looking down at the dark-haired male going to work on him. It was a beautiful sight, Hongjoong on his elbows and knees, his perky rear high up in the air. He pressed his head back into the pillow, a slight grunt escaping his throat as his lover kept gagging on his member.

Hongjoong popped his mouth off after a while, smirking up at Seonghwa and licking his lips. "Will you play with me now?" Seonghwa's member throbbed in his hand with excitement, and he placed gentle kisses along the tip, earning a growl from Seonghwa.

"I'm gonna do more than play with you..." Seonghwa warned in a playful tone, soon sitting up in bed, grabbing ahold of Hongjoong and pulling him up toward him. He flipped him onto his back, now hovering over him with Hongjoong's hand's pinned over his head.

Hongjoong couldn't help but moan in response, he loved it when Seonghwa was rough with him. "What are you going to do to me? Hmm?"

"What do you want me to do, baby? Tell Daddy what you want..." Seonghwa muttered into Hongjoong's ear, placing gentle kisses along his jawline.

"I want you to mark me up in any way you want. Choke me, spank me, tie me up, pull my hair... Show me your worst..." Hongjoong sighed out in anticipation, biting down on his bottom lip hard.

"You really want my worst?" Seonghwa gave a deviant smirk, his eyes flickering with a sense of primal hunger at his lover's request as he looked into his eyes.

"Please, Daddy... Please..."

Seonghwa licked at his teeth, letting go of Hongjoong's wrists before flipping him over onto his hands and knees. He then grabbed Hongjoong's hands, pressing his face into the bed as he positioned his lover's hands behind his back and removing the skiny underwear he wore.

"Don't move from that spot. I'm gonna get some toys, we'll see just how much you can handle before you break."

Hongjoong nodded in response, swallowing hard as he realized what he had just gotten himself into. He watched Seonghwa make his way over to the closet across the room, opening the doors to pull something out. When he started to come back, he held a small tote in his hand filled with various toys and other things.

Seonghwa crawled back onto the bed behind Hongjoong, setting the tote beside him and removing a thing of rope. It wasn't long until Seonghwa had Hongjoong perfectly bound with the rope, he wouldn't be able to move from the position he was in until Seonghwa untied him.

"We're gonna play a game... Every time you moan or make the slightest sound, you'll earn one of these." Seonghwa warned with a grin, waving a paddle in the air for Hongjoong to see. "Oh, and if you cum before I tell you to... Well... We'll just see about that one."

A shiver went down Hongjoong's spine, the tone in Seonghwa's voice was threatening but exciting. He forgot just how intense his husband could be, but he loved every moment of it regardless.

Seonghwa then pulled out a large pink vibrator with a remote to control it and a bottle of lube.

"Are you going to prep me first?" Hongjoong's voice was small, almost trembling as he looked at Seonghwa from over his shoulder.

As Seonghwa was lubing up the vibrator, he seemed to pause for a moment and tilted his head. "Bad boys who don't listen, don't deserve prep. I told you I was tired, now let's see how much I can wear you out."

"But- AHH!" Hongjoong cried out as the vibrator was shoved deep inside of him without warning. There was a mixture of pain and pleasure stretching him apart, tears pricking his eyes as a result.

"Since I know you weren't ready, I won't count that towards punishment." Seonghwa grabbed the remote in his hand, turning it up onto the highest setting it had.

Hongjoong couldn't help but let out a moan in response, the stimulation was too sudden and intense for him to hold it back. Just then, he felt the hard smack of the paddle against his rear, his body jerking slightly and his fists balling up tightly as he cried out. Another one came down, but this time Hongjoong did his best to stifle his sounds.

The reactions of pain and pleasure from his lover only fueled his hunger more, Seonghwa loved seeing him in this vulnerable state, struggling to follow the orders that he gave.

Hongjoong bit down on his tongue, shutting his eyes tightly as the vibrator stimulated his sweet spot aggressively, it was making his climax near too quickly and making it harder for him to stay silent.

Just then, Hongjoong felt one of Seonghwa's hands reach around to his front, gripping ahold of his member and stroking it tightly. The dark-haired male's mouth fell open with a loud moan from the dual stimulation, quickly earning a smack of the paddle on his rear, except it was harder than before.

Hongjoong cried out loudly in response, another hit soon cutting off his sounds again. His rear was the shade of crimson from the aggressive hits, almost turning a shade of purple.

"Can you not handle this? You wanted my worst, and this isn't even the worst, yet you can't even keep your mouth shut..." Seonghwa taunted, letting go of Hongjoong's member to grab a fist full of hair and pulling his head back roughly.

Hongjoong let out a hiss as his head was pulled back. "I-I can handle it..."

Seonghwa brought down another hard smack of the paddle, watching the smaller male roll his eyes back and bit down on his lip, struggling to keep quiet. "You forgot something. Try again." He demanded.

"I-I can handle it, D-Daddy..." Hongjoong whimpered from the throbbing heat in his rear. The intense mixture of pain and pleasure was too much for him. "I-I'm gonna cum... I-I can't h-hold it..."

Just then, the vibrator was pulled out of him, totally robbing him of his orgasm abruptly. Hongjoong sighed out deeply with a groan, pressing his face into the sheets of the bed.

It wasn't too long before Hongjoong's entrance was filled once again, this time with Seonghwa's lengthy member, his walls clenching tightly around him. Seonghwa had put down the paddle so he could grab ahold of his lover's hips with both hands, soon thrusting into him deeply but slowly.

"Fuck..." Seonghwa growled under his breath, thrusting faster and harder into Hongjoong.

Hongjoong couldn't help but moan with each thrust hitting his prostate, Seonghwa always knew how to work him just right. Instead of earning a paddle to the rear, Seonghwa had reached out a hand and clasped it around Hongjoong's neck from behind. This increased Hongjoong's moans even more, struggled whimpers escaping his throat.

"Harder, D-Daddy... Please!" Hongjoong choked out, tears of pleasure streaming down his cheeks.

Upon this request, Seonghwa thrusted into him with all the force he could manage, the bed began to slam against the wall and the sounds of skin slapping against skin filled the air.

It didn't take long for Hongjoong's climax to return, and it was creeping up on him fast.

"Can I-I cum, Daddy? P-Please... I need to-"

"You can cum, baby..." Seonghwa grunted out, feeling his climax riding up too.

Hongjoong exploded all over the sheets beneath him, a loud, whiny moan accompanying it. Seonghwa released deep inside of him, continuing to ride out both of their climaxes with a series of grunts and groans.

Finally, Seonghwa pulled out of Hongjoong, breathing hard as he tried to catch his breath and chuckling as he watched his seed leak out down Hongjoong's leg. Both males were beaded with sweat, huffing and puffing from the intense moment they shared. Seonghwa proceeded to untie Hongjoong before he collapsed onto the bed, his lover collapsing onto his stomach as well. Hongjoong's rear was bruised, small bruises all over his body from how tight the rope was on his skin.

Hongjoong's body vibrated with pleasure, but it also throbbed from the lingering sensation of pain. A pair of arms snaked around his body, pulling his limp body close. Seonghwa's lips peppered against the skin of his neck.

"Was that too much?" Seonghwa's voice was soft, tired sounding even.

"No... Not at all... I loved every moment of it." Hongjoong replied as his eyes fluttered shut. "God, I missed you."

"I missed you even more..."

By the time they finished, the sun had come up, illuminating the scenery outside of their window. Seonghwa had lifted his head a bit to look out the window, smiling slightly as the sight of the rushing waves.

"Hongjoong, look... Look at the ocean..."

Hongjoong had managed to open his eyes, glancing out of the window. The whole thing was beautiful after a moment of intensity. "We'll be here together forever, right? Until we're old and gray?"

Seonghwa looked back at his lover, a warm smile upon his lips.

"Of course... You're the antidote to my poison, Hongjoong. I'm never letting you go again..."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	14. Chapter 13

[ ᴛᴡᴏ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ... ]

The grains of sand between his fingers felt like he was running his hand over a blanket of silk, and the air was filled with a white noise of the tide rushing upon the shore. A brackish wind caressed his skin, flowing through the fabric of the sheer white shirt that hung loosely on his shoulders, collarbones exposed. The strands of his blonde hair cascaded down into his eyes like a curtain, shielding his eyes from the burning sun hanging high in the sky.

When Hongjoong needed to clear his mind or he needed a moment to himself, he would come and sit in the sand, gazing out upon the empty horizon and allowing himself to disconnect even if it was only for a few moments. He could sit out there for hours upon hours if he wanted to.

The past two years had been stressful in some parts, but they were happy years nonetheless, as any marriage was. He didn't regret even for a moment going back to Seonghwa, regardless of the flaws and mistakes he made. Seonghwa had finally lived up to the promises he made, Hongjoong always came first, no matter what, and that made them develop a better sense of understanding between each other. They had never been closer than they are now, and Hongjoong could honestly admit that he was happy. He was still the husband of a notorious businessman, but no one could see Seonghwa the way that he did.

Someone plopped into the sand right beside Hongjoong, snapping him out of the daze he entranced himself with. He turned his head, laying his eyes upon the man he had married all those years ago. Every time Hongjoong saw him, it was like gazing upon his beauty for the first time. His charcoal hair was brushed back from his face, exposing the ethereal visuals. His cheeks were slender with a gentle protrusion of his cheekbones, the perfect, slender nose, and those plump lips that felt like clouds every time he kissed him. When their eyes met, he could feel every nerve ending flutter with excitement, it was intoxicating.

"Do you know what today is, Joongie?" Seonghwa questioned in a gentle tone of voice, grabbing Hongjoong's hand and interlocking their fingers together. He brought his lover's hand to his lips, kissing each of his knuckles softly.

Joongie... It drove him absolutely mad when Seonghwa called him that. He would say it with such love behind his voice, he swore he would melt right then and there.

Trying to keep himself from just exploding from the emotions vibrating in his chest, Hongjoong made a slight frown with his eyebrows. He raked through the thoughts in his head, trying to think of the possible significance that the day had, but nothing came to his mind.

The blonde-haired male just shook his head slightly, giving a gentle shrug of his shoulders. "It's a Sunday..?"

Seonghwa's lips spread into a pearly white smile, his eyes squinting slightly as he let out an amused laugh. "You're always the one to remember dates so well... You really don't remember what today is?"

"Well, it's not our anniversary, it's not your birthday, not my birthday... I don't know." Hongjoong made a weird face before smiling a bit.

"Today is the day..." Seonghwa paused as he scooted closer to his husband, leaning over to kiss his cheek softly. "I saw you in my club for the first time. Bright, candy red hair, clearly never experienced a scene like that in your life." He laughed again. "I still can't get over the face you made when I was just centimeters away from you. Planning to tear my whole life apart with your anonymous investigation blog."

"Yah! You were terrifying! How else was I supposed to act in that situation?" Hongjoong exclaimed with a laugh, punching Seonghwa in the chest playfully. "Who knows? Maybe I'm still trying to tear your life apart?"

Seonghwa rubbed his chest after being hit, even Hongjoong's playful hits packed quite a punch. "I think you've already accomplished that once before. Vice versa, of course. But I'd do it all over again as long as you're at my side."

"To hell and back, just like I said in my wedding vows to you." Hongjoong grinned widely, pressing his forehead against Seonghwa's to gaze deeper into his dark chocolate eyes.

"God, I love you... SO much. You know that, right?"

"You tell me every day, and you know I love you just as much," Hongjoong replied in a small voice, then leaned in to place a sweet kiss upon Seonghwa's lips.

Seonghwa didn't hesitate for a moment to return the kiss, his eyes fluttering shut as he was just under the spell of the silky flesh against his lips.

"Sir, your client is awaiting you in your office. He just arrived." A deep voice from Seonghwa's assistant broke the moment they shared.

Seonghwa pulled his lips away, a sigh slipping through his nostrils as he turned to look at the taller male. "I'll be there in a minute, keep him busy for me."

"Yes, sir." With a nod, he was quick to dismiss himself. The assistant was a nerdy type of person with a colorful personality. No one knew his last name, but everyone knew him as Mingi.

"Client? I didn't know you had a meeting today." Hongjoong leaned back a bit to look at Seonghwa, a curious look upon his face.

Seonghwa rubbed his face for a moment. "I originally didn't have anything planned for today, but I received a call early this morning so unfortunately, I must go."

A playful pout formed on Hongjoong's face as he watched Seonghwa stand up, slumping his shoulders dramatically with a loud sigh. "You never have time for me, always ignoring meee~" He let out a whine before his mouth curled into a smile.

"Why you little-" Seonghwa chuckled and bent down to his lover, wrapping his arms around his waist and lifting him right up onto his shoulder.

Hongjoong let out a scream, a joyful laugh escaping his mouth as he writhed in his husband's grasp. "Y-Yah! Let me go, asshole! Put me down!"

Seonghwa proceeded to carry Hongjoong on his shoulder back up to the house. "Nope! Only babies whine, and since you wanna act like a baby, I'm carrying you like one."

No matter how much Hongjoong struggled to get out of his grasp, Seonghwa had a good hold on him, still carrying him even after making it back into the house.

"Hwa! Just because I'm smaller than you doesn't mean you can manhandle me!" His voice echoed through the home, smacking Seonghwa's butt repeatedly to let him down.

Seonghwa finally set Hongjoong down, grabbing both sides of his face with a cheeky smile on his lips. "Said who?" He connected a big, wet kiss on his lover's lips, earning a squeal and a stupid laugh from Hongjoong.

"Mr. Park, if you're done, I'd really like to discuss our business now." A man's voice piped up, interrupting the playful moment between the two.

Seonghwa turned his head, the whole look in his face seemed to change in a snap, the cold look in his eyes as he looked to the man. "You scheduled a meeting last minute, therefore, you WILL WAIT until I'm ready to meet with you."

Hongjoong happened to glance over to the older man dressed in a fine suit. He didn't display any emotion upon his face, but he instantly recognized the man without having to take a second to realize it. If he could have, he would have gotten sick right then and there.

Choi San's father. Head of Choi Trade Company.

"Hwa... No need to mistreat a client..." Hongjoong said in a small voice, dusting off some sand from Seonghwa's outfit and forcing a smile. "Find me when you're done."

"But-" When he caught the look in Hongjoong's eyes, Seonghwa just fell silent. All he did was give a small kiss to Hongjoong's forehead, then pulled away. "Alright, Mr. Choi. Follow me please."

As they descended the stairs to Seonghwa's office on the second floor, Hongjoong had briefly met eye contact with the older man, feeling his heart fall down to his feet.

There were many ghosts from the past that they had dealt with before, but none of those ghosts affected him as much as this one did. He had just come face to face with the father of the man he killed in cold blood, and to make matters worse, Seonghwa was meeting with him. Just as the two disappeared from view, Hongjoong felt his knees go weak, collapsing straight onto his butt on the tile floor.

"Hongjoong!" Mingi called out just as he was coming back into the room, rushing straight to his side. "Are you alright? Do I need to call the doctor?" Hongjoong looked deathly pale, a strange look in his eyes.

"No... No... Just-" Hongjoong felt lightheaded and out of breath, bringing a hand to his forehead. He felt as if he could blackout at any moment, his vision was blurred with pulsating darkness. "Bring me to the sunroom..."

"Yes, sir..."

Mingi leaned down, wrapping the smaller male's arm around his shoulder and lifting him to his feet. Mingi really had to use all his might to assist Hongjoong to the sunroom on the other side of the house, he could hardly walk by himself. He set the blonde-haired male upon the cushions of the bay window, crouching at his feet and grabbing his hands with a look of concern. He was only assisting him because if Seonghwa found out something happened to Hongjoong while on his watch, it would be his head on a silver platter.

"Can I get you anything? Water? Do you need medicine?"

"Get... Get my medication... From upstairs... Now." Hongjoong could hardly speak properly, seeming completely disoriented.

"Yes, sir, right away."

After Mingi had gotten his medication and a glass of water, he had sat beside the smaller male, rubbing his back to help him calm down after Hongjoong had taken it. He didn't understand what was happening, but he knew better than to question it, he just needed to be there for Hongjoong.

It had taken a little over an hour before Hongjoong finally got a grasp of himself again, he could finally breathe and he no longer felt lightheaded or weak.

"Thank you, Mingi. I appreciate the help you just gave me, sincerely."

"Of course, sir. You had me worried, I thought something bad was going to happen to you."

"Something bad? What happened?" Seonghwa's voice could be heard as he rounded the corner into the sunroom, a growing look of concern on his face.

"He collapsed shortly after you left, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't talk or walk. I practically had to carry him here, sir. I got his medication and sat here with him until he calmed down." Mingi looked up to Seonghwa.

"He collapsed?"

"Mingi, please leave us for a moment." Hongjoong had lifted his head to look at Mingi, forcing a smile.

"U-Uh... Yes, of course." With that, Mingi left the room immediately.

Seonghwa rushed over to Hongjoong, kneeling before him and placing his hands on his knees. "Joongie... What happened?"

Hongjoong's face twisted into a frown. "I should really slap the lights out of you right now. Why the FUCK are you meeting with Mr. Choi? Have you forgotten what happened five years ago?" He snapped, very clearly unhappy with Seonghwa.

Seonghwa blinked a few times, biting down on his bottom lip. "Hongjoong... You told me not to involve you in any business I do, so I didn't-"

"Mr. Choi, Seonghwa! Out of all people?! You brought him to OUR home! What business could you possibly have with him?! Have you gone mad or did you purposely try to hurt me?!" Hongjoong shouted at him.

"That's not what I was trying to do at all, I swear. It's complicated, alright? I know, I shouldn't have brought him here, it was stupid. I didn't think you still... Yeah..."

"Think that I what? That I'm still haunted every FUCKING day after what happened with San? Yes, because killing a man in COLD BLOOD is SO easy to forget, right?" Hongjoong brought a hand to his face, letting out a stressed whine. "Fuck you... Just fuck you."

Hongjoong shot up from the bay window, storming past Seonghwa out of the sunroom and running a hand through his hair.

"Joong, I'm sorry, alright?" Seonghwa got up, following after his lover with a deep sigh. "Let me explain everything. I didn't intend to set you off, you know that."

"I swear to god, Seonghwa! If you show your face in my presence at all today, I'm going to kick your ass!" Hongjoong shouted as he threw the sliding door open that led out to the shoreline, slamming the door behind him before making his way down the boardwalk.

Seonghwa came to a stop, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat. He put his hands upon his hips, dropping his head to look at the ground and letting out a soft grunt. This was the first time he had royally pissed Hongjoong off in a long time, and he absolutely hated the heavy feeling he got in his chest.

"Way to go, asshole..." He muttered to himself.

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	15. Chapter 14

The next morning, Hongjoong sat at the large marble island in the middle of the kitchen, scrolling through his phone in one hand with a half-full coffee cup in his other hand. The air was filled with the pittering of coffee brewing into the pot in front of him, an aromatic bitterness engulfing his nose. It was the second pot of the morning.

He still hadn't even made an attempt to talk to Seonghwa after the day before. The more he thought about it, the more it made him sick to his stomach. He couldn't even begin to understand why Seonghwa would have any kind of business with the man.

The sound of footsteps tapping against the tile floor behind him made his gaze lift from his phone to the countertop. When they ceased, Hongjoong sat in silence, waiting for whoever it was to say something.

"Joongie..." A smooth, deep voice called from behind him. Hongjoong let out a subtle sigh, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Seonghwa, I only just woke up half an hour ago, I'm not in the mood right now." He replied with a disinterested tone in his voice, resting his chin upon the palm of his hand.

"Will you please look at me then? I didn't come to argue with you or make you upset. I come to you as your husband, your best friend, and your protector. I just want to talk to you. You know I hate making you upset, and I hate it, even more, when you stay mad at me." Seonghwa's tone softened a bit more, a slight frown forming upon his face.

Hongjoong chewed on the inside of his lip for a while. Finally, he set his phone and coffee down with a soft clatter, kicking the leg of the stool to spin around and face Seonghwa.

Seonghwa looked a bit rough as it seemed he hadn't gotten any sleep the night before. Hongjoong locked him out of their bedroom so he had been forced to sleep on the couch in his office. His hair was an absolute mess and there was evidence of dark circles beneath his eyes.

"What do you want?" Hongjoong huffed out as he ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"I want to sincerely apologize-"

"Apology accepted. Let's move on." Hongjoong cut him off with sarcasm in his voice, crossing his arms over his chest.

Seonghwa blinked a few times, now unsure of what to even do or say at that moment. "Hongjoong-"

Hongjoong pushed off of the stool and stood directly in front of the taller male, squinting his eyes. "You think you can just apologize after something like that and expect me to act like everything is okay? How DARE you even think bringing that man INTO OUR HOME was a smart decision. I understand it's been a long time since what happened, but I can guarantee that man has not yet forgotten it was I that BRUTALLY killed his son." A brewing sense of anger was forming in his gut as he laid into Seonghwa. "Seeing him brought me back to that place, seeing my hands covered in blood, the fear that ran through my veins, and the months of hell that followed. So fuck your apology, Seonghwa."

Seonghwa got down onto his knees and grabbed ahold of Hongjoong's hands, pressing his hands against his forehead. "I'm on my knees, Hongjoong. Please, just let me explain the whole situation. Let me fix this, let me put everything right. I'll tell you anything you want to know, I'll do anything you want me to, just listen to me. Please... Just listen to me." He couldn't help but plead, the heavy weight in his chest was causing his heart to ache.

Hongjoong looked around the room for a second, shaking his head with a scoff before he looked down at Seonghwa. "Fine. You have five minutes to give me a valid explanation and not a second more." He said as he pulled his hands away. "You look like a fool on your knees like that. Stand up."

Seonghwa licked at his bottom lip slightly as he stood back to his feet, looking down into Hongjoong's eyes. "First, I do admit bringing him here was a stupid and careless thing to do. I'm more than aware of that. Second, I only met with him because he wanted to discuss a possible deal of working with my company, promising to bring my business into places that we've not reached yet. I already told him it wasn't likely that we would ever do business, but when he called yesterday morning, he was already in the area, and I had no choice but to accept a meeting with him. I'm not going to be any kind of business with him, none at all, and I made that very clear. I wasn't thinking, Hongjoong. I admit it was completely inconsiderate considering the past." 

Hongjoong just rolled his eyes slightly, looking off to the side. It was clear that he didn't care much for a single word that came out of Seonghwa's mouth.

Seonghwa sighed out as he grabbed Hongjoong's hips and pulled the smaller male closer to him. "Please forgive me, Joongie... I'm sincerely sorry. Let me make it up to you." He leaned his face into Hongjoong's neck, his soft lips nipping at the flesh gently.

"Seonghwa, stop," Hongjoong whined softly, his face twisting into a frown as he tried to pull away, but Seonghwa had a tight hold on him. "The sight of your face is honestly NOT something I want to even see right now, so don't even think you're getting anything." He knew if he didn't push Seonghwa away, he would end up melting right into his hands anyway.

"Who said you had to look at me? I could always turn you around and press your face against the countertop." Seonghwa had pressed his lips against Hongjoong's ear, whispering the words as his cold hands slipped into the back of his shirt. "Just how you like it, right?"

A cold shiver ran along the length of Hongjoong's spine, swallowing hard as he bit down on the soft flesh of his bottom lip. He was still mad at Seonghwa, if he got what he wanted, the whole situation would just be brushed under the rug and they wouldn't talk about it again.

Finally, Hongjoong placed a firm hand on Seonghwa's chest, pushing him back off of him with a slight frown. "I know you think sex just fixes everything, but it doesn't, not this time. You're a royal ass, Seonghwa, just stop." He shook his head yet again with a scoff.

When Hongjoong just shouldered past Seonghwa without another word, Seonghwa's gaze just fell to the ground before closing his eyes. He heard footsteps stomp up the stairs, followed by a slam of the bedroom door that practically shook the whole house.

On impulse, Seonghwa grabbed the coffee cup from the countertop and threw it against the wall with as much strength as he could, exploding coffee and shattered ceramic upon impact.

How do I keep fucking up? What am I doing wrong? God, help me... Seonghwa thought to himself while rubbing his face exasperatedly.

"Sir! Are you-" Mingi came running into the kitchen, soon trailing off when he saw the mess upon the floor.

Seonghwa snapped his head to make eye contact with his assistant, Mingi swore he could feel his heart drop to his feet upon seeing the look in his eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, I just heard the noise and-"

"Just get this cleaned up, Mingi..." Seonghwa grunted under his breath then stormed out of the kitchen. 

Seonghwa needed to blow off steam, the anger he felt for himself was immense, and he didn't let it out somehow he was sure that he would just explode. He couldn't take it when Hongjoong was like this, and the fact that he pissed him off more was just enough to drive him crazy.

You're a fucking idiot, Seonghwa... Nothing more...

_________________

Hongjoong had spent all day in the bedroom, at least he could lock himself in there and Seonghwa wouldn't have a chance to bother him even more. Seonghwa could be too most of the time, and if he didn't distance himself from that, it would just become suffocating.

When his stomach finally started to grumble from not eating anything that day, he figured maybe it was time to go downstairs and get something to satiate his hunger. He just hoped that he wouldn't run into Seonghwa in the process, he wasn't quite prepared for yet another encounter that day.

Hongjoong leaped from the last two steps of the stairs, trotting over toward the kitchen when he heard a series of soft grunts coming from the other side of the house. He paused for a moment, his brows furrowing as he tried to figure out where exactly the sounds were coming from.

Hongjoong's bare feet tapped against the tile softly while walking down the hallway. Finally, he came to the door that led out into the garage, now hearing upbeat music and more grunts from the other side of the door.

Just as he opened the door, he saw a shirtless Seonghwa drop to the ground onto his back. He panted heavily beside a black punching bag hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the garage, his body just drenched in beads of sweat. He must have been at it for a long time for him to just drop to the ground as he did.

"Hwa..? How long have you-" Hongjoong began to question him as he walked into the garage, falling silent when he noticed the droplets of blood scattered on the floor. He stopped dead in his tracks, soon realizing that even though Seonghwa was wearing his boxing gloves, blood lined the tips of his fingers and his hands trembled violently.

"Hwa..." Hongjoong called again in a smaller voice, his chest tightening at the sight before him.

The black-haired male turned his head slightly to glance up at Hongjoong, he didn't say anything, he just stared at him as he tried to catch his breath.

"Baby... What have you done?" Hongjoong sighed out as he came to his lover's side, kneeling beside him to reach for his hands.

Seonghwa immediately yanked his hands away, they screamed in pain at the thought of Hongjoong even touching them in the slightest. "Don't touch them. Leave me be, I'm not done here." He said in a tired voice, looking up at the ceiling.

"Seonghwa, you're done. There's blood all over the floor and your hands are in horrible shape from what I can see. Come on, let's go inside and I'll look at your hands."

"No."

"You don't have a choice, I wasn't asking you, I'm telling you." Hongjoong's tone changed into a demanding tone, he wasn't in the mood for Seonghwa's incredibly stubborn attitude. "Get up, we're going inside."

"I said-"

"I don't CARE what you said. Get your ass inside the house. NOW, Seonghwa. I will not tell you again."

With a sigh of defeat, Seonghwa peeled his sweaty torso from the concrete and carefully stood up, being cautious of using his hands for anything. His hands continued to tremble violently as he held them to his chest, walking back into the house with Hongjoong in tow.

"There's a first aid kit in the bathroom down the hall, that's where we're going." Hongjoong grabbed ahold of his arm gently, pulling him down the hall with haste.

Once they were inside the bathroom, he made Seonghwa sit upon the toilet as he fetched the first aid kit from beneath the sink. Hongjoong got down onto his knees, opening the kit and setting it beside him before reaching for Seonghwa's hands. Once again, he yanked them away so Hongjoong could grab them.

"Don't."

"You can't leave the gloves on. You either let me do this now or we go to the hospital where they won't be as gentle as I will be." Hongjoong raised a brow as he looked up into his husband's dark eyes.

Seonghwa clenched his jaw for a moment, then slowly stuck out his hands to Hongjoong. He could handle a lot of pain, but he had repeatedly hit the punching bag over and over long after they started to bleed, his knuckles were painfully raw.

Hongjoong tried his best to take off the gloves without hurting him too much, but the feeling of the gloves peeling from his hands seemed to bother Seonghwa a lot. Once they were off, the sight of his hands almost made Hongjoong sick. His knuckles were badly skinned, and would probably leave nasty scars when it healed.

"Seonghwa... Why would you do something like this?" Hongjoong sighed out as he grabbed one of the hand towels and got it wet so he could clean the blood.

Seonghwa grunted and winced while he tended to the wounds on his hands, trying his best not to lash out from the pain. "I needed to let off steam..."

"You did more than let off steam. You blew a whole pipe, you're lucky nothing is shattered in your hand... Was this because of the conversation we had earlier?" Hongjoong frowned slightly when he asked, doing his best to clean and mend his hands.

Seonghwa blinked a few times, feeling his chest tighten at the question. He couldn't bring himself to say anything, he only feared he would upset Hongjoong even more.

While Hongjoong was wrapping his hands in a clean gauze wrap, he let out a deep sigh in response to Seonghwa's silence.

"Hwa... Please talk to me. You know you can talk to me, baby... Please tell me what's wrong with you." Hongjoong soothed in a gentle voice, trying to get anything at all out of his husband.

Seonghwa chewed on the inside of his lip for a while before he ever said anything. "Two days in a row I just keep fucking up. I keep hurting you, pissing you off, and I feel like crap for all of it. I can't do a damn thing right, and I hate myself for it."

When Hongjoong was done, he placed his hands on Seonghwa's thighs with a sympathetic sigh. "Hwa, that's how marriage is. Sometimes we're gonna keep fucking up, doing things the other hates. That doesn't mean I don't love you, because I DO love you with everything I have." Hongjoong got up and wrapped his arms around Seonghwa's neck, pulling his face into his chest and stroking the damp, coal-black hair. "You can't do things like this to yourself. I don't like seeing you like this, Hwa... Please don't do things like this again, alright? I love you, I really do."

"But I really messed up this time, I should've talked to you beforehand." Seonghwa pressed his face into his lover's chest, closing his eyes momentarily. "Then I tried to fix the situation and I completely-"

"Seonghwa, stop... It's fine, alright? I forgive you, I love you, and that's all that matters. It's behind us now, I just want you to be okay, I want us to be okay." Hongjoong pulled his face from his chest and made Seonghwa look at him, a smile forming on his face. "Kiss me and tell me you love me."

Seonghwa's expression seemed to soften from how soothing Hongjoong was being with him. He gave him a sweet kiss on the lips, managing to form a smile. 

"I love you, Joong... I love you so much."

"Good, because I love you more." Hongjoong threw his arms around Seonghwa's shoulders, hugging him as tight as he could. "Nothing will ever change that. No matter how much you piss me off, Hwa... I'm not going anywhere. Never again."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	16. Chapter 15

(A/N: I know I said to buckle up for what comes next, but we're going to slowly ease into that so it's not so chaotic. I'm trying to take it easy on you guys. Trying lolol)

The silk sheets that were once tucked beneath his chin, slowly slid down his shoulder to the curve of his hips, causing the sleeping male to frown softly as his bare body was exposed to the chill of the bedroom. The sun hadn't even come up, it was still pitch dark.

A pair of fingertips traced his jawline and down the skin of his neck that left a tickling sensation. Hongjoong shot up a hand and smacked the hand away, a small grunt escaping through his nose. He could feel the fingertips trace the bend of his waist

"Hwa... Leave me alone..." Hongjoong whined tiredly as he pressed his cheek deeper into the pillow.

The hand laid out over his hip, soon gripping roughly at the flesh, hard enough to send a wave of pain up his side. Hongjoong shot his eyes open with a frown and pried the hand away from his side.

Hongjoong proceeded to roll over to face the male beside him. "Seonghwa! What the hell is your-" He immediately fell silent at the sight before him.

Starting from his toes, he could feel a paralyzing sense of fear creep into his body inch by inch. It wasn't Seonghwa that laid beside him. With bluish skin rotting and peeling like old fruit, the man in the bed wore a tattered suit that had deteriorated from years in the dirt. When Hongjoong laid eyes on the man's face, he wanted to scream from pure terror, but he was just frozen in place, he couldn't do anything but blink.

The man's face was disfigured with sunken eyes, stained from excessive amounts of blood and small pieces of flesh hanging from his face. A demented smile slowly began to etch on his face, the flesh squelching and cracking as it struggled to form the horrid expression. It wasn't long before he began to speak, and the voice he embodied was one terrifying enough to send anyone straight to their grave from fear.

"Do you... remember me? I remember you..."

The man shot out a boney, rotting hand and clasped it tightly around Hongjoong's neck.

And just like that, Hongjoong shot straight up from the bed, drenched in a thick sweat as he trembled and hyperventilated. He brought his hands to his neck, touching at the skin as he felt he could still feel the hand around his neck.

...It was only a dream...

As fearful sobs began to come from him, Seonghwa had begun to wake up after hearing the panic unfold. Seonghwa immediately sat up from the bed with a concerned frown upon his face. He scooted over to the smaller male, wrapping his arms securely around his body and pulling him close.

"Hongjoong... Are you alright? Baby, what's wrong? Talk to me." Seonghwa grabbed his lover's face gently to make him look at him, but all Hongjoong did was sob and hide his face into his chest.

Seonghwa pressed his face into Hongjoong's blonde locks, stroking the back of his head gently to help calm him down. "You're okay, Joongie... Just breathe slow for me, come back to me. I'm here, you know I'll never let anything happen to you. Nothing is going to hurt you, I promise." He soothed in a soft voice, continuing to hold the frantic male securely.

It seemed like hours before Hongjoong's sobs finally ceased, gentle hiccups still coming out here and there. He had finally stopped trembling, his breathing slowing down to an almost normal pace.

"Joong... Please talk to me. What was that all about?" Seonghwa gently cupped his hands on Hongjoong's face and pulled him away from his chest to look into his lover's puffy, bloodshot eyes. It absolutely broke his heart to see his face so flushed and stained with tears.

"I had a nightmare... H-He was in our bed..."

"Who? Who was in our bed?"

"San... H-He was all... rotted and disfigured. His touch felt s-so real..." Hongjoong started to cry once again, shutting his eyes tightly.

Seonghwa scooped the smaller male into his arms and moved back against the headboard of the bed. He pulled up the covers to cover both of them up and held Hongjoong tenderly like a child.

"It's alright now... He can't hurt you anymore. I'm here... I'm here." Seonghwa spoke softly as he drew gentle circles into his husband's back. "I'll call the doctor in the morning, tell him your episodes are coming back. I'll handle this, you don't need to worry."

Hongjoong pressed his cheek into the warmth of Seonghwa's chest, tears continuing to roll down the sides of his cheeks even after his sobs quieted down again. It wasn't long until he had eventually cried himself to sleep.

Seonghwa wasn't going to be able to sleep for the rest of the night, the slight itching of guilt in the back of his head was going to bother him. After all, it was his fault that Hongjoong was starting to down spiral once again. If he hadn't brought Mr. Choi to the house, if Hongjoong hadn't been reminded of what happened a few years ago, none of this would be happening.

_________________

When Hongjoong finally awoke in the morning, his eyes fluttered open to the light pouring in from the panoramic window across the room. He must've been so deep in sleep that he didn't notice Seonghwa slip out from under him.

The blonde-haired male turned his head to look over his shoulder, he was the only one in bed.

A gentle sigh slipped from between his dried lips, sitting up and wrapping the silk sheet around his small frame. He threw his legs over the side of the bed, shuffling across the tile floor to exit their bedroom.

When he made his way downstairs, he heard a familiar sound of someone hissing and cursing from the kitchen. As he rounded the corner, he caught sight of his husband in an apron, sucking tenderly on the tip of his finger over a frying pan.

"Hwa? What are you doing up this early?" Hongjoong questioned in a tired voice, shuffling over to the kitchen island.

Seonghwa turned his head to look at him, an expression of disappointment waving over his face. "You're awake... I was making you breakfast to make you feel better. I was going to surprise you in bed."

As Hongjoong lifted himself onto one of the stools, a gentle smile grew on his lips. "If your clients saw how you treated me, they would surely question your authority. Such a big bad wolf with a heart of gold. Hardly the kind of man I'd be afraid of."

Seonghwa turned off the stovetop and set the pan off to the side. He put a hand on his hip as he leaned against the counter. "You're my husband, not a client. You have my favor, they don't. There are differences between my work and the man I share my bed with."

"Mm... Still. Weakness is still weakness. Isn't that lethal for a man of your profession? Careful where you step."

Seonghwa knew his lover was teasing him as usual. He just let out a playful scoff, taking his apron off and rounding the island to his lover.

"I don't have to be careful where I step. I've taken a bullet for you, yet here I still stand." He said as he suddenly lifted the smaller male onto the countertop, earning a squeak of surprise from him.

Seonghwa didn't waste time spreading Hongjoong's legs and standing between him, his hands resting upon his hips.

"The only thing that has proved lethal is the fact of knowing your bare beneath the sheet around your shoulders."

Hongjoong licked at his lips before biting down on his bottom lip. He raised a brow with a soft laugh.

"You don't know that I'm truly bare under these sheets. A bold assumption coming from you."

"It's not an assumption when I know you better than anyone else." Seonghwa slipped his fingers beneath the silk fabric and pushed it off of his shoulders, exposing the smooth skin. "And you taunt me every moment you get."

"I don't taunt you, you just can't keep your hands off of me."

"Is that a complaint?" Seonghwa tilted his head, inching his face closer to Hongjoong's slowly.

"Not at all." Hongjoong closed the distance between them, interlocking his lips with Seonghwa's in a passionate manner.

Hooking his arms around Hongjoong's legs, Seonghwa lifted him up and started to carry him out of the kitchen, totally disregarding the breakfast he had just made.

Once they made it into the bedroom, Seonghwa gently laid his husband upon the bed, his kisses trailing down to his collar bone as he unwrapped the sheet to completely expose Hongjoong.

Something about the way Seonghwa was handling him felt different than usual, his touches were more gentle, slow in pace as if he were savoring the moment, but Hongjoong wasn't complaining.

Seonghwa broke from the heated session to make his way over to the dresser. Hongjoong was expecting him to break out handcuffs or a toy like he usually did, but he only came back with condoms and lube.

"No toys?" Hongjoong questioned a bit confused.

Seonghwa just shook his head while removing each article of his clothing. "Not this time. I'm taking it easy on you, focusing on your pleasure rather than mine."

Hongjoong watched as Seonghwa lubed up a couple of fingers, then spread his legs apart as he bit softly at the flesh of his thighs. This earned a small hum from Hongjoong.

He felt a single finger slip inside him, soon followed by a hot, velvety warmth wrapping around his member. Hongjoong just pressed his head back into the bed, mewling softly from being doubt stimulated.

"Oh, shit..." Hongjoong sighed out in surprise.

Seonghwa was never the one to be giving like this, but there he was, working wonders with his mouth and adding more digits inside him over time until Hongjoong became a writhing, moaning mess.

Hongjoong could feel his climax pulsating with increasing intensity, and just before he released, Seonghwa removed his fingers and pulled away from his member. Hongjoong nearly screamed from the pleasure being ripped away from him.

He was in too much of a daze to notice Seonghwa put on the condom and crawl over him. Just as Seonghwa connected a hot, open-mouthed kiss with Hongjoong, he pushed himself inside slowly, muffling the pleasure-filled mewl from his lover.

Hongjoong interlocked his fingers in his lover's hair to deepen the kiss, his legs wrapping tightly around his waist as Seonghwa trusted slowly but deeply inside him.

The air was filled with heavy sighs, sweet moans from both males, and gentle sounds of skin colliding with skin. Seonghwa broke from the kiss to attack Hongjoong's neck with soft kisses, eating up his sweet spot just as he angled his thrusts slightly to find his prostate.

Hongjoong's moans became louder, more breathy as his climax crept up once more.

"H-Hwa... I'm gonna-"

"Shhh... I am too..."

Seonghwa pressed his face into Hongjoong's neck, grunting loudly as he released inside him. Almost at the same time, Hongjoong shut his eyes tightly and released all over his stomach, a whiny mewl escaping his mouth.

Hongjoong couldn't help but curse under his breath as Seonghwa rode out both of their orgasms.

"I love you, Joongie~" Seonghwa cooed in a sweet voice into his ear, nipping softly at the lobe.

Hongjoong giggled happily from the tickling sensation. "I love you more, Hwa..."

The moment was rudely interrupted when there was a knock at the bedroom door.

"Sir, I don't mean to interrupt... But you have a phone call waiting for you." Mingi's awkward tone could be heard from the other side.

Seonghwa sighed out with annoyance, glancing over at the door. "I'm busy. Take a message."

"Mr. Park, he was pretty adamant and-"

"Damn it, Mingi! I said I'm busy!"

"He said he's your brother, sir... He said you'd remember the name, Yohan Park."

Hongjoong watched Seonghwa freeze in place upon hearing that information, a look of shock upon his face.

"Seonghwa..? You never told me you had a brother..."

Seonghwa looked down at Hongjoong, clenching his jaw slightly.

"That's because he died 10 years ago..."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	17. Chapter 16

[Warning: suicidal elements]

[A/N: this will be a bit longer than usual, sorry! 2,965 words 😬]

Curiosity and concern raced within Hongjoong's mind, small taps from his feet as he paced in front of the door to Seonghwa's office. Hongjoong couldn't hear a thing since the whole room was soundproof, specifically for privacy purposes when he would hold meetings.

His husband was so quick to leave him without saying a word more, and he had been locked inside the office for a while now. The shock in his face and the eerie words that came from Seonghwa's lips kept replaying over and over in his head: "That's because he died 10 years ago..."

Is it possible his brother is really alive? Why did he never mention a brother to me? Or any siblings for that matter? If he died, how could he possibly be alive after all this time? Hongjoong had a million questions running through his head all at once, bringing his thumb to his lips and chewing lightly on the tip.

Hongjoong couldn't stand the suspense anymore, he needed to know what was going on.

Stepping to the door, he gently knocked upon the wood with a single knuckle, pressing his lips to the crack of the door so he could be heard. "Seonghwa? What's going on? Unlock the door, please..."

There was a long period of silence, then he could hear the door being unlocked. The handle twisted before the door opened, revealing the taller male, who looked as if he had seen a ghost. Seonghwa's face was riddled with every emotion that existed, Hongjoong couldn't tell if he was going to cry or go into a fit of rage.

"Hwa..?" Hongjoong reached out a hand to touch Seonghwa's face, but he was quick to turn his face away. Hongjoong just closed his hand and allowed it to drop back to his side, he knew when to stop pushing Seonghwa.

Sometimes.

"Will you please tell me what's going on? There are so many questions that I need answers to."

"There's a lot we need to talk about... And you're not going to like any of it." Seonghwa stepped off to the side to let him in, which was rather strange. 

Since Hongjoong moved back in with Seonghwa, he was never allowed into his office under any circumstances, so the fact that Seonghwa was calling him into his office meant that the whole situation was graver than he had anticipated.

Hongjoong slowly stepped into the room, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his sweatpants. He had never seen the inside of this room, and even though he was invited in, every part of him screamed that he wasn't supposed to be there.

The black-haired male grabbed ahold of Hongjoong's hand, pulling him over to the black leather chase in the corner of the room and sitting him down upon the cushion.

Seonghwa squatted before the smaller male and gripped his knees softly. "As you know, my mother died when I was very young, my father wasn't the most loving man. The only person I could confide in and the only person that TRULY took care of me was my older brother, Yohan. When I was thirteen years old, he went missing, no trace of where he went, nothing, and my father acted as if it wasn't a big deal. Yohan was my whole life as a child, I looked up to him, he was everything I wanted to be, and when he vanished I felt so lost. He had been missing for two months before a body washed up in the river outside of town, supposedly confirmed to be my brother, and it completely destroyed my whole world. All this time I thought he was dead, but..." He suddenly fell silent, his dark gaze falling to the floor.

Hongjoong swallowed dryly, placing his hands on top of Seonghwa's. "But?"

"I need you to understand why I'm bringing this next thing up... You need to know this, okay? Just bear with me."

"Seonghwa, just tell me. What the hell is going on?"

"It wasn't my brother that called, instead... It was only to spark a nerve within me to answer the phone... San is alive, Hongjoong, very much alive, and that man you killed all those years ago was a body double... It was all planned, everything has been planned and I was oblivious to it all. There's so much more that I can't explain because I need the answers to explain them."

There was a long silence.

"W-Wait... Repeat what you just said..." The expression on Hongjoong's face fell.

Seonghwa gritted his teeth with a sigh. "San is alive... And according to him, my brother is alive, and has been 'well taken care of.' I don't know if I believe him, but I also don't have any reason not to. The REAL San Choi wants to meet us both for the first time, and said he would be in touch soon."

That's all he needed.

Hongjoong could feel every nerve ending in his body seize up, his lungs feeling as heavy as stone and taking the breath straight from him. His skin washed over with a cold sensation, he could practically feel the pigment flush from his face, and that's when he felt his stomach toss and turn in all directions. Hongjoong did his best to try and swallow the sickening feeling traveling into his chest, but now he was breathing heavily and on the brink of drooling.

The initial shock immediately turned into pure panic, and his body was going into overdrive in response.

"I-I'm... I'm gonna be sick..."

Seonghwa immediately grabbed the small trash bin from beside his desk, setting it into Hongjoong's lap just as the smaller male heaved. He brushed the long, blonde hair away from his husband's face until he was done.

"Get it all out..."

Seonghwa tried his best do soothe him, but his tone was still darkened. He wanted to empathize with his husband, but the thought of his brother still being alive and how to get him back was the only thing that matters.

When Hongjoong finally calmed down, he placed the bin onto the floor.

A heavy silence followed, neither one of them said anything, and Hongjoong seemed to be caught in a daze, almost frozen in place.

So many things raced through his head - the trauma he had experienced, the blood on his hands...

There were thousands of questions he didn't know if he would ever get the answers to.

Hongjoong could tell his demons were now clawing at his skin, tearing at the flesh, and stripping it of the bone. His state of mind hadn't felt this deep underwater since the initial incident all those years ago.

A tiny, thin strand of thread, threatened and grazed by blades from every side. Oh... How they itch to cut that thread... To watch it snap from the sharp edge and the chain reaction of chaos to follow.

Hongjoong's thread was barely hanging on, knowing at any moment he could snap just like that.

It wasn't until a hand was snapping in his face that he was pulled back to reality.

"Hongjoong!"

They were no longer in Seonghwa's office.

Instead, there were jagged rocks beneath the smaller male's bare feet. The sound of crashing waves flooded his ears, an angry wind ripping through them of a coming storm in the distance, and the brackish smell of the water in his nose. Hongjoong now finally realized where they were. 

There was a small cliff edge at the edge of the shoreline to the beach. It was notorious for shipwrecks and apparent suicides from the jagged rocks at the bottom. Somehow, they ended up there, the cliff edge was nowhere close to their home, and you had to climb to get to the top.

How did I get here..? A voice whispered in Hongjoong's head.

"Joongie... Hey, come back to me, please."

Hongjoong finally focused on the taller male in front of him, standing mere inches from the edge. The look of worry upon Seonghwa's face sparked curiosity. It was then that Hongjoong noticed the tears streaming down Seonghwa's cheeks. He was drenched in sweat, had flushed cheeks, and his bottom lip was busted open, Seonghwa looked horrible.

"Hwa? What are we-"

Hongjoong was suddenly engulfed in a tight hug, his small frame practically being crushed. Seonghwa gripped at his husband's blonde locks, repeatedly kissing his forehead as he sobbed.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so, SO sorry, Joong."

Hongjoong couldn't even begin to understand what was going on. One minute, they were in the office, the next minute, they were standing at the edge of a cliff and Seonghwa was exhausted and hysterical.

"What... What happened? What are we doing here?" Hongjoong questioned with a soft tone of voice.

Seonghwa pulled away for a moment to look into his eyes, frowning through the drying tears.

"You don't remember a thing?"

The blonde-haired male just shook his head, now looking at his husband's bloodied lip.

"Did I-" He pointed to his lip with a frown.

"Mm..." Seonghwa nodded his head. "Shortly after you threw up, I tried to discuss how to handle this situation and you weren't... You."

"What?"

"I haven't seen you this disconnected for years... Not since the first episode you had."

"Seonghwa, what did I do?"

"As soon as I touched your arm, you just lashed out. You started screaming at me, told me you didn't love me anymore, I ruined your life, and that's not even the worst of it. After all that, you told me you didn't want to live anymore and you just took off. I chased you here TWO miles, and when I tried to stop you from jumping the first time, you busted my lip."

There was a period of silence once again, only the sound of waves and birds off in the distance.

Hongjoong averted his gaze, looking off into the horizon as his bottom lip started to quiver. He just took a deep breath and scoffed, his lips trembling still as they formed into a forced, broken smile. Hongjoong took a step back from Seonghwa and ran his hands through his hair.

"I'm back to square one then, huh... So... PATHETICALLY stuck in the past, unable to move on. No matter the prescriptions, no matter the therapy, no matter what I do I'm just sinking further and further... All I do is rely on others to take care of me because I, very clearly, cannot take care of myself. The definition of a burden..." Hongjoong's voice broke with every word, clearly trying to hold back the tears teetering on the edges of his eyes.

"You should've just let me jump..." A bitter laugh sounded from Hongjoong's throat, his gaze returning to his husband. "One less problem on your plate."

Seonghwa was not happy at all with what Hongjoong said to him, the way his face twisted with a deep frown was evidence.

"How many times do we have to have this same conversation, Joong?" Seonghwa reached and grabbed the smaller male by his face to pull him in close.

"Your trauma does NOT define you. It's not your fault you're drowning, nothing is your fault. You've been through hell, that's no secret, and it's NOT easy. I brought you into this life and I swore to protect you, I'm sorry I've failed so many countless times. What matters is we've done our absolute best to make our lives better and work together. None of this has ever been your fault, and I know I'm to blame."

"But if it wasn't for me-"

"Stop." Seonghwa shook the smaller male a bit, his intense gaze boring into Hongjoong's. "I can't have you falling apart again because if I lose you... You know I can't take that. I've lost you so many times, I can't do it again. Our fight has only just begun, Hongjoong, and I can't fight without you. I know I said I would never include you in my work EVER again but I need you, you need me, and we need to work together to get through this... Find the answers we need and handle this situation before it fucks us both. Do you understand me?"

The words that came out of his mouth made sense. There was no denying that Hongjoong was falling apart at the seams, but if the two didn't work together to handle the new rising threat against them, there would be no prevailing from it.

Hongjoong drew a deep breath as the wind blew through his hair. He had to take a minute to consider everything that was happening.

"If your brother is alive like he's said to be... I'll help you get him back..."

Seonghwa pressed his forehead softly against Hongjoong's. "Once this is over, I promise you, one day we won't have to fight anymore, and you won't have to suffer like this. For once, I'm going to make you truly happy, Joong."

"You do make me happy, Hwa, it's just hard being married to-"

"A notorious criminal with enough enemies to wrap around the Earth twenty times? Yeah, I know it is. My job isn't for everyone, it's not easy, and I know it's nowhere near favorable." Seonghwa put on a smile to try and brighten the chaotic atmosphere. "My job only becomes a trillion times harder when it comes to pleasing and protecting you."

"Like I said before, definition of a burden."

"You're NOT a burden. A pain in my ass, sure, but not a burden." Seonghwa huffed out in response. "Let's go before-"

"SEONGHWAAA!" An anguished scream could be heard in the distance.

The black-haired male immediately snapped his head, looking around to see where it came from, but there was nothing to be seen.

"That's Yohan... He's here, San is-"

"SEONGHWA!"

Without another word, Seonghwa bolted toward the edge they climbed up on and immediately started to climb down.

"Wait! What if it's a trap!" Hongjoong called after him, soon following behind him down the cliff.

Nothing was stopping Seonghwa now. For the first time in a decade, he heard his brother's voice and he was desperate to find him.

"SEONGHWAAAA!" The voice was now growing louder and louder the further Seonghwa ran.

"YOHAN I'M COMING!"

"Hwa! Wait! Stop for a second!" Hongjoong breathlessly called out to him again, struggling to keep up with the taller male's sprint.

"YOHAN! WHERE-" Just as Seonghwa rounded the large rock formation near the mansion, he immediately stopped in his tracks.

It wasn't long before Hongjoong came along and collided straight into Seonghwa from behind, almost knocking him over.

"Why did you-" Hongjoong looked up at Seonghwa then quickly noticed what was in front of them.

Mingi, the assistant, was bound by his wrists and unconscious in the sand. He was directly next to another man on his knees. Despite the blood from his forehead, the man had a striking resemblance to Seonghwa, almost identical.

"Yohan..."

"Seonghwa..." Yohan's face contorted as he sobbed helplessly.

Backed up by a few men on each side, an elegantly dressed man with striking features stood there, a pleased smile on his face. His hand was locked to Yohan's hair tightly, yanking his head back as he held a gun to his head. Thunder boomed across the sky, a dark ambiance hanging heavily in the air.

"I told you we'd be in touch! Did I mention I was on my way?" The man tilted his head, his gaze switching from Seonghwa to Hongjoong. "I don't think we've been formally introduced, but I have a feeling you know exactly who I am..."

Hongjoong had been petrified by just one look at him. There San stood, alive and breathing, and the reality hit him like a freight train.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, little one." San glanced over at the man to his right. "Bring that one to me."

When the man started to approach, Seonghwa grabbed his lover and put him behind him.

"If you touch him I'll kill you!"

That didn't stop this man, he was twice the size of Seonghwa, he had no chance. With the rifle he held in his hands, one blunt swing to Seonghwa's head and he collapsed.

"Seonghwa!" Yohan called out.

"HWA!" Hongjoong screamed just as he was hoisted over the man's shoulder.

San let go of Yohan's hair, squatting in front of him with a low chuckle.

"All these years together have been fun, Yoyo. I'm sorry things had to end this way." San ruffled Yohan's hair.

"Fuck you. I hope you rot in hell." Yohan spat in San's face, watching the smaller male scream and struggle helplessly as he was being carried off.

Casually wiping the spit from his cheek, San just smiled. "Look after your brother for me, yeah? I'm sure he won't mind I took his play toy. Discarding the old one for the new one."

San stood back to his feet, tossing a small pocket knife in Yohan's lap. "You can cut yourself loose." San then nodded to the rest of the men with him. "Let's go."

After San had left and successfully took what he came for, Seonghwa was regaining consciousness when rain started to come pouring down.

A blurry silhouette appeared above him, grabbing at his arms to lift him up. His head pounded, vision pulsating as he tried to regain focus. He looked up to the man carrying him, almost tearing up when he saw Yohan's face up close.

He's matured so much since I saw him last... Hongjoong! Seonghwa thought to himself, suddenly forcing himself back into focus.

"Yohan... My husband... Where is he?"

"I'm sorry, Seonghwa... They took him and there was nothing I could do..."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	18. Chapter 17

[Warning: suggestively SENSITIVE themes.]

(A/N: I kinda wanna apologize in advance for this chapter for the unfortunate event that happens later on. THERE ARE NO DETAILS WHATSOEVER, but it is suggestive. As you all know, this is a Mafia AU fanfic, so obviously it's not going to be a soft, happy kind of story.)

[Seonghwa]

"Sss!" Seonghwa hissed slightly when a cotton ball doused in disinfectant blotted the wound on his forehead. "Easy with that! Be careful!"

Yohan broke focus from his brother's wound for a brief moment, seeming clearly displeased with his tone.

"I don't like how you've changed, Mars," Yohan muttered as he set the cotton ball on the kitchen counter and finished with a couple of wound-closing strips.

"It's been ten years, Hyung. I'm not the boy you left behind."

"You know I didn't leave you." Yohan's brows pinched together into a frown.

"Then what happened a decade ago? You ran away from home, and the next thing I know your body supposedly showed up in the river. I went to YOUR funeral, Yohan. I had to suffer the cruelty and coldness of our father alone." Seonghwa's tone sounded a bit bitter. "And look where I ended up. Sure, I have money, a huge mansion, and a private shoreline, but it's all blood money. Not a single penny of my money hasn't come with a price, and I damn well enjoy it."

Yohan just gave a subtle smile, leaning back into the bar stool.

Despite the near-identical resemblance between the two brothers, their personalities were polar opposites. As the older brother, Yohan was more reserved and patient, a pushover when it came to his little brother. Meanwhile, Seonghwa was always the mischievous one, hard-headed and rowdy. Like Yin and Yang, so different yet their relationship was always congruous, inseparable, and partners in crime. Why did fate have to ruin that for them?

"I've missed that hair-trigger temper. I don't care about the blood money, I don't care how you got any of this luxury, I don't care about your profession. Why? Because I know WAY more about this life than you think I do, and my knowledge can get your husband back unharmed."

Seonghwa always envied his brother for how easily he could stay calm and civil under pressure, it reminded him so much of their mother. If it wasn't for Yohan restraining him until he calmed down, Seonghwa would have gone on a murdering spree just to get Hongjoong back.

Seonghwa just scoffed, leaning toward his brother as he rested against the counter. "How exactly do you know more about this life than I do? What knowledge do you have? You owe me TEN YEARS worth of an explanation of what the fuck happened to you, Hyung, because not a damn thing makes sense."

Yohan could hear the slight ping of anger in his voice. He knew his brother was still on edge, his husband was taken in exchange for him without negotiations, and Seonghwa was wearing thin on patience, regardless of his men already working on finding out where Hongjoong was taken. He didn't know a thing about their relationship, but it wasn't hard to guess that Hongjoong was his whole life.

"I know. I owe you ten years of memories we missed, I owe you ten years of everything, Mars. You need to be patient with me as I am with you. I understand your hardships, but you're not the only one." Yohan reached out a hand, locking his fingers in his brother's hair softly just as he did when they were kids to calm him down.

Seonghwa shook Yohan's hand away, flashing an intense glare at him. "I'm not a child anymore and I don't have time for games. You were apart of whatever this grander scheme is, right? So you better start telling me what the hell you know before I show you just how bad this temper has gotten over the years." His tone was frigid, every word rolling off his tongue giving Yohan goosebumps.

This was not the brother he knew all those years ago. The man sitting in front of Yohan had become a stranger, as well as he has become a stranger to Seonghwa. This man was ruthless, intimidating, and unafraid to get his hands bloody and dirty. Their blood relation didn't matter anymore, no one's blood mattered except Hongjoong's.

If Seonghwa wanted to obtain information, he would get it one way or another, as quickly as possible.

If that meant spilling the blood of his own to get it, that didn't matter to him...

___________________

[Hongjoong]

Embraced by seemingly endless darkness, a cinema of his past played all at once right before his eyes. His childhood, his parents, the average, boring life he once had, and the very moment he met the beautiful disaster that became his husband. Every fight and betrayal, every touch, sigh, moan, kiss, laugh, smile... He never regretted a single moment of it, regardless of the damage done.

Was he dead? Why was he seeing all of this? Where was he?

Everything then went dark. His memories no longer flashed by him, lost without direction, and completely hopeless.

Water splashed onto his face, ripping Hongjoong from the state of unconsciousness was in. His eyes shot wide open and gasped, shaking the water from his face. Panic immediately riddled every nerve ending in his body when he realized he was bound to a chair. Hongjoong couldn't see a thing, his vision struggling to focus with the intensity of a spotlight shining in his face. He could only make out three silhouettes, one in front of him and two towards the back of the room in each corner.

The man in front of him took a step forward Hongjoong, his head tilting to the side. A hand clutched at Hongjoong's jaw softly, the man lifting his head so he could look at him.

"I've waited so long for this moment. I'm so sorry you had to become apart of this, but you're the key to what I want..."

Hongjoong could feel his stomach flop to the floor when he heard the voice. Soon, his vision collected itself and he was now staring straight into the eyes of his captor. Every inch of him wanted to scream, kick, fight, but he knew that would be completely pointless.

"You deserve answers as you are only a pawn in this grand game, but those answers will come later." San hummed softly through his nose, sounding completely careless.

"I-I..."

San took a single finger, pressing it against the soft skin of Hongjoong's lips. "Nah-ah-ah... Don't speak, I'm not done inspecting the merchandise."

Merchandise? Did he just call me merchandise?

San removed his finger from the blonde-haired male's lips, proceeding to lean in closer to his face.

Hongjoong found himself frozen with fear, his heart threatening to rupture in his chest. San had gotten so close to him that Hongjoong could smell the faint essence of mint on his breath.

San's eyes wandered every feature of his face. He then used his finger to gently move Hongjoong's head side to side.

"I can see what the infamous Seonghwa Park sees in you. But is it just your beauty he's attracted to?" San glanced over Hongjoong briefly before his gaze focused back on his face. "Or is he only attracted to what lies beneath all of this fabric?"

The blonde male couldn't meet eye contact with San anymore, looking down into his lap. He now knew exactly what San meant by "merchandise."

"Please don't..." Hongjoong's voice was so small, barely audible.

San gripped a handful of Hongjoong's hair and roughly pulled on his hair to make him look at him again. Hongjoong winced with pain and cried out uncomfortably.

"Who said you could look away from me?" San's careless tone had dramatically dropped a few decibels, darkness in his eyes. "You will do what I say when I say it. You have no plausible options here..."

The reality and gravity of the situation hit Hongjoong all at once at that moment. Undoubtedly, Seonghwa would come for him, but what if it was too late when he finally came to his rescue? How much time did he have? Was this it for him? Regardless of the outcome, all he could focus on was how terrified he was.

The blonde male's bottom lip began to tremble, a sigh of defeat breaking from his chest as tears pricked his eyes.

"Please... I'll do anything you want, just-" Hongjoong's voice cracked from the lump in his throat. "Please don't hurt me."

San's lips curled into a subtle smirk, seeming to thrive off of the fear he induced in the other male.

"Let me explain why you're here. You know... It's incredible how much power Seonghwa has, yet his work is so sloppy." San sounded disappointed, letting go of Hongjoong's hair. "But as I said... You ARE a pawn in this game, so in order to get what I want... My men here are gonna have to make a little spectacle to provoke your husband into giving it to me. It's clear the eldest son meant nothing Hyejun Park, we got nothing from that bastard, and Seonghwa believing his brother was dead, brought us to a stalemate. You changed that for me. Due to your husband being so sloppy, we knew what he was planning all those years ago... And had it not been for you murdering my body double, we never would've had a chance to break that stalemate."

Hongjoong swallowed hard, trying to process everything that he was just told. San wasn't lying about this being a grander game, and due to fate, he was caught in the middle of it all... All because Hongjoong couldn't keep his nose out of places it didn't belong, he was now paying greatly for it.

He didn't have anything to say, there was nothing he COULD say. Hongjoong was completely defeated by his fear, tears now streaming down his cheeks as he started to cry. The dark-haired male grabbed both of Hongjoong's cheeks with a smile.

"Shhhh... If this goes the way I want it to, you won't have to suffer for very long..."

_________________  
Two days later....

[Seonghwa]

Mingi trotted up the stairs with haste, a small plastic package in his hand. It was still early in the morning, and Mingi had just returned from running a few errands when he discovered the package at the door.

Mingi quickly made his way to his boss's bedroom door, pounding on it rather than knocking. "Sir! Wake up!"

A few seconds passed before the bedroom door opened, a rough, still-drunk Seonghwa appearing on the doorway. His hair was strewn in all directions and his bed robe was poorly put on.

"What the hell are you doing?" Seonghwa snapped in a tired voice, supporting himself on the door.

Mingi didn't waste time in handing the package to him. "This was on the doorstep when I arrived back here. It's for you."

Seonghwa shook his head when he received the package, inspecting the label to see who it was from.

Choi Trade Company.

When Seonghwa's face fell, Mingi couldn't help but become curious.

"What is it?"

Seonghwa didn't say a word, he just began ripping open the package as fast as he could. Inside was a USB drive, and Seonghwa could feel himself become nauseous, fearing whatever was on the drive. He shoved past Mingi, making a direct beeline for his office. He threw the door open so hard, it knocked down a few of the paintings from the walls.

Seonghwa sat in front of his computer, sticking the drive into the port before logging in.

The loud thud had awoken Yohan, who was sleeping peacefully in one of the guest rooms at the time.

Yohan yawned tiredly, shuffling down the hallway as he fixed his hair with his hands.

"Mars? Where are-" He came to an open door that revealed an office, noticing Seonghwa was in there. "Why did you-" He fell silent when he noticed the look on his brother's face.

Seonghwa gripped the edges of his desk so right that his knuckles were pure white, the look in his eyes was unexplainable but horrifying. His jaw was clenched so tight that the muscles protruded, tears flowing down his face while his eyes were locked on his computer screen.

"...Mars?" Yohan took another step but stopped when Seonghwa stood from his desk.

Seonghwa stood there in silence for a minute, but then he just snapped. Grabbing the chair from behind him, he lifted it up and threw it at the wall with all of his strength. Seonghwa just screamed in utter anguish, grabbing anything he could and destroying it.

Shocked and confused, Yohan rushed to his brother's side, wrapping his arms tightly around him to restrain him.

"LET ME GO! FUCK YOU YOHAN! LET GO OF ME!" Seonghwa screamed, fighting to break his brother's arms but to no avail.

Finally, Seonghwa just gave up, his knees falling weak as he just collapsed into Yohan's arms. All he could do was scream and sob violently, the pain in his chest from what he just witnessed broke every part of him.

Yohan still had no idea what was going on, and he knew that Seonghwa was in no state to explain. He outstretched his neck to peer at the computer screen, and that's when he saw it. He blinked in shock, his mouth dropping open at the sight before him.

The USB drive contained a singular video. There was no sound, but there was a sign in the corner saying, "You got what you wanted... Now here's the price for what I want." It was a small, bare room with nothing but a bed, and on that bed laid Seonghwa's husband. Yohan just watched in horror at what was being done to him in the video. He recalled having gone through the exact same treatment while in the hands of the Choi family, and anger bubbled in his gut over the fact that it was being done to someone else. The sounds of his brother's anguished screams tore at his heart.

"I'm going to help you fix this... And we're going to kill every single one of them, Mars. I can promise you that." Yohan spat through gritted teeth.

"Every... Single... One..."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	19. Chapter 18

His limbs felt like lumps of steel, heavy and hardly able to move, if he did, every nerve ending in his body ignited like a raging fire.

Hongjoong laid face-first against the bare mattress with his wrist cuffed to the headboard, still trembling from the trauma his body had endured just a couple of days before. His bottom lip was busted, his left cheek bruised and bloody, but that was nothing compared to his body. Bruises lined his torso and legs almost like an animal print, and he was sure his ribs were either bruised or broken. It felt as if his body were going to give out at any moment, starved, beaten, assaulted... Yet somehow, he managed to cling onto his sanity.

The only thing that kept his head screwed on straight was knowing Seonghwa would come for him, and when he did, Seonghwa was going to ensure that blood was spilled. No matter how hard they tried to break his spirit, they couldn't. They could break his body to pieces, but the fire inside him was unquenchable.

The door to the small room was unlocked, and soon the door slowly opened to reveal San. Hongjoong hadn't seen a glimpse of him since his capture, so it was a bit strange that he was coming to see him now of all times.

"C-Come... to gawk at w-what you've done?" Hongjoong tried to force a laugh, but ended up whining from the pain shooting through his body.

The heels of San's dress shoes clicked softly against the concrete floor when he entered the room. He seemed to pause for a moment, taking in the sight of the bare, beaten male in front of him.

"My men tell me you caused a bit of a problem when they visited last." San gestured to the dried blood that was all over Hongjoong's mouth. "I assume none of that is yours."

Hongjoong's lips curled into a devious smile. "You know it's not..."

"I will say, I'm impressed with you." San got closer to Hongjoong, now squatting at the side of the bed. "You went so far as to bite a man's... penis clean off. And here you are, still managing to put on a smile despite the state you are in."

"I-I told you... You can't break me, you h-have no idea what I've been through." Hongjoong shook his head slowly. "You'll have to k-kill me first..."

"That can always be arranged."

"That would be too e-easy for you... You still h-haven't gotten whatever it is y-you want. If you wanted to k-kill me... I'd already have been d-dead."

San's calm yet intense eyes stared Hongjoong down like a predator sizing its prey.

"What is it you w-want anyway?" Hongjoong's brows cinched together to form a frown. "Money? N-No, you have plenty... R-Revenge? Actually... You do seem the childish type..." Despite the pain, Hongjoong managed to let out a chuckle. "Pathetic..."

It was clear that San had enough of Hongjoong's attitude at that point, the expression in his face displayed just how displeased he has become.

The dark-haired male shot out at hand, gripping at the blonde locks of Hongjoong's hair to rip his head up from the mattress. Hongjoong's chuckling quickly turned into subtle whines of discomfort.

San leaned his face in closer, hovering just centimeters before the other male's face. "You have an awful loud mouth considering your circumstances..."

"And you h-have a hellstorm coming your way..." With that, Hongjoong spat right into San's face.

San flinched upon the wet impact on his cheek. He sighed out deeply and closed his eyes, the muscles in his jaw protruding as he clenched his teeth tightly. He then slammed Hongjoong's face into the mattress, practically growling in anger.

"You know what? I've changed my mind... Maybe keeping you alive is pointless."

"You th-think you're so m-much better than Seonghwa... Right?" Hongjoong grunted uncomfortably from how hard San was pressing his head down. "You'll n-never amount... He killed the h-head of his company to rise, a-and here y-you stay cowering behind y-your BITCH of a father."

San shot to his feet, reaching into his suit jacket to pull out a handgun from a concealed holster. He didn't hesitate to point the barrel right at Hongjoong's head, practically steaming with anger.

"Must you resort to violence so quickly, son?" A husky voice, presumably altered by decades of smoking, spoke up and broke the intensity of the moment.

San immediately turned his head to look over his shoulder, seeing his father stroll into the room. "Sir-"

"Put that damn gun down, San. What have I told you about controlling your anger? You're letting the hostage control you? Pathetic." The man snatched the handgun from San with a scoff. "Get out of here."

"Yes, sir." San nodded his head, dismissing himself as he was told to do.

Hongjoong looked up at the man, this was the second time they had met face to face, but he had looked much different up close. He had to have been at least a decade older than Samuel, the elasticity in his skin had long since loosened, wrinkles creasing every inch of his skin and hair the color of snow. His facial features were bold and strong, it was evident where San got his looks from. Hongjoong guessed he had to be at least in his early 80s.

"I believe we met not too long ago but not formally. I'm-"

"K-Kyungmin Choi... C.E.O and founder of Ch-Choi Trade... I know who you are, spare me the f-formality." Hongjoong sighed out, his gaze falling to the wall. "You just r-ruined my chance of d-dying..."

"So you were intentionally trying to get yourself killed? You're not afraid of death?" The man knelt down to be level with Hongjoong, tilting his head.

"I live w-with the Grim Reaper on a daily basis. What i-is there to be s-scared of any more? I've l-learned how to accept if I'm going to die then I-I'm going die... N-No fear, even when a barrel is pressed against my temple." Hongjoong raised his gaze again to look at Mr. Choi. "I just pray I m-meet you in hell and I g-get to be the one who tortures your b-broken, brittle body f-for eternity..."

Kyungmin stared at the battered male for a while, unsure if he should be impressed with Hongjoong or unsettled by him. Finally, the old man just put on a smile.

"What if I were to change your current situation? Get you a bath, your wounds tended to, and a pair of clothes to regain your dignity? Would that earn your compliance?"

"I don't take h-handouts... Do your worst, I'd r-rather die on this dirty m-mattress than take your f-fucking sympathy..." The look in Hongjoong's eyes changed, it was cold, almost intimidating. "You're nothing to me... W-Whatever it is y-you want from my husband, i-if it means I-I have to die to p-protect that, I will."

"I expected your answer to be something like that." Kyungmin let out a deep sigh, pushing off his knees to stand up slowly. "It's a shame, I was willing to help you, yet you choose to suffer."

"Fuck you, and f-fuck your incompetent son..."

"If that's how you feel..." Kyungmin turned on his heels, making his way to exit the room. "How about you teach our friend here a lesson, boys? He's still barking..."

When Kyungmin left the room, two men replaced his presence and shut the door.

Hongjoong didn't even react at that point, he was prepared for it, he just hoped this would put a quick end to his suffering...

_________________

"Mars. Hey." Yohan snapped his fingers in Seonghwa's face, trying to get his attention.

Seonghwa snapped out of the daze he had fallen into. He hadn't slept a wink since he received the USB containing the horrifying video of his husband, he was so disconnected and distraught.

"What?" Seonghwa spoke monotonously, looking up at his brother on the other side of his office desk.

Yohan plopped a folder on the desk in front of him. "We found him. A couple of men were able to track the location from the USB."

Seonghwa widened his eyes, snatching the folder off of his desk and opening it to view its contents.

"Oh my god... They found him." Seonghwa shot up from his desk. "I need to go get him..."

Just as Seonghwa had rounded his desk, Yohan caught him by the arm and stopped him.

"Hang on, you can't just go alone." Yohan looked over at his brother. "You need to make a plan, think about this rationally."

Seonghwa shot a glare at Yohan. "There's no room for rational thinking when I don't even know if my husband is alive, Yohan. I need to get him back."

"What is it that they want from you? What was our father hiding from us? It's clear they have tried for years to obtain what they want and failed. What is it?"

"You would think if I had the answer to that, I'd be able to give it to them. I'm as clueless as you are, but right now, I need to go get Hongjoong back whatever it takes."

"Have your men handle it, Mars. You'll get yourself killed if you take on the organization yourself." Yohan tightened his grip on Seonghwa's arm. "Please, I can't have anything happen to you."

"Then come with me. You can shoot a gun, right?" Seonghwa was determined to do it himself.

"Mars-"

"You either shut the fuck up and let me do this myself or you come with me as backup. Either way, I'm not going to waste dozens of lives when I'm more than capable of taking them on by myself. I took on Samuel and the whole company, and look where it got me, I fucking OWN this company now. Your choice, Yohan. Come with or stay." Seonghwa stared at his brother intently for a while.

Yohan licked the inside of his cheek, then let go of Seonghwa's arm. He just looked at the floor with a deep sigh.

"Coward..." Seonghwa scoffed at him. "Just like our father, cowering with your tail beneath your legs in the light of danger... Stay here then, clean the house while you're at it if you wanna act like a bitch." He spoke with pure poison on his tongue, no longer caring if it hurt his feelings.

Yohan opened his mouth to protest but Seonghwa had already stormed out of the room without another word. Seonghwa was going to get himself killed waltzing in blindly, and Yohan was the only one who knew anything about the Choi Trade organization. He took a deep breath, rubbing his face.

I need to help him...

The door to the garage whirred loudly as it raised up. Seonghwa was quick to get himself ready, making sure he wore protective armor under his clothes, and well equipped with guns and ammo to take down these men. With a black duffle bag slung over his shoulder, Seonghwa marched across the garage to the black Cadillac at the end.

Seonghwa threw the duffle bag into the back seat of the car, it contained all guns that he was going to take with him. When he got into the driver's seat of the car and turned on the engine, someone got into the passenger's seat of the car.

Seonghwa looked to the passenger seat, seeing Yohan sitting there with a brave face. "What are you-"

"I'm not going to let my little brother get killed without a fighting chance. I know these people better than you do, and I'm a good shot with a gun." Yohan met Seonghwa's gaze with a triumphant smile. "I'm coming with you."

Seonghwa smirked a bit and nodded his head. "Thank you, Hyung..."

Seonghwa then turned his head back and put the car into gear. His foot slammed against the gas pedal, the tires squealing against the concrete before launching out of the garage.

Yohan reached back into the duffle bag, pulling out a handgun and a clip. He shoved both into the belt of his pants, letting out another deep sigh.

"Let's get your husband back, Mars... No matter what..."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	20. Chapter 19

Strings of blood and saliva dripped from his bottom lip, his head drooping toward his lap from the lack of energy to properly hold his head up. Now tied to a small, metal chair, his shoulders ached from his arms bound tightly behind his back. Hongjoong's ankles and wrists bled from the ropes tearing into his skin little by little with every movement or blow that he took.

His breathing was labored, hoarse, practically painted in his own blood from the never-ending torture he was being put through. Hongjoong was breaking at this point, his body couldn't handle much more before it would kill him. He could hardly see anything, practically fading in and out of consciousness.

A rough hand grasped at the hair on the back of his head, yanking his head up so he would be forced to look at the man in front of him.

"You continue to surprise me more and more... You're so small but damn you can take a beating." The man chuckled lowly from behind the black mask covering his face.

Hongjoong struggled to focus his vision as he looked up at the man. His lips began to spread slowly into a smile, thick, crimson liquid tainting his teeth and leaking from the corners of his mouth. It started off as a weak, huff of air, but soon Hongjoong was able to manage a laugh, but it was almost eerie to hear. It wasn't a normal laugh, it was one that sounded like he was enjoying it, maniacal in a sense.

The man clearly started to become a little uncomfortable upon hearing the laugh. "What the fuck is so funny?" He snapped.

Hongjoong continued to laugh, just staring the man dead in his eyes, not even saying a single word in response.

"Why you little-"

Just as the man let go of his hair, with his fist reared back to land another right hook, the door to the dingy room flew open.

"Enough. Put some clothes on him, the owner has come to claim his pet." A different man called from the threshold of the door.

Hongjoong immediately fell silent when he heard those words come from the other guy's mouth. Were his ears tricking him? Did he hear those words correctly?

Seonghwa is here..? Hongjoong thought to himself, hope filling every ounce of his body. Seonghwa came for me... He came...

"Let me just deal one more to the little guy as a departing gift."

"Whatever, just clothe him and bring him to Boss's office."

The man then turned back to Hongjoong, a grimy little smirk forming in the corner of his mouth. Before Hongjoong could even process what was going on, a blunt force connected to the side of his head, and everything fell pitch black.

______

Small beads of sweat lined his forehead as his knee bounced impatiently. A small clock upon a marble-topped desk ticked loudly in the deafening silence, even the sound of Yohan's soft breathing from beside him was driving him nuts.

Seonghwa's original plan to take down the Choi company was quickly changed when he realized that two men alone would never be able to tackle a feat that great, but he wasn't willing to risk the lives of his own men for something that didn't directly involve them. In any other case, he would rely on their assistance, but he wasn't so keen on being responsible for so many bodies as he used to. If fatalities could be avoided in any manner, Seonghwa was going to ensure that.

The brothers laid down their weapons upon arrival, and whatever it was that the Chois wanted, he would be willing to hand it over as long as it meant he would get his husband back in once piece. That's all he cared about, nothing else mattered.

The large office was everything that Seonghwa imagined it would look like. Marble and gold trim lined the walls and floors, shelves upon shelves of books from the floor to the ceiling, there wasn't a single decor item that wasn't worth a fortune, even the white leather chairs the brothers sat upon.

Seonghwa understood at that moment how big of a competitor the Chois were to his operation, it was clear they sat upon mountains of money just like Seonghwa did, and it was no secret that when the competition came in the way of his business, Seonghwa was going to tear them down one way or another. Maybe not at that moment, but he would find a way, he had bigger concerns to worry about.

The door to the office opened quietly, the sound of a cane tapping against the marble floor followed by multiple pairs of footsteps.

Seonghwa quickly turned his head to see none other than Mr. Choi waddling past them toward his desk, then took notice to a pair of men carrying a small, limp male by his arms into the room. Seonghwa felt his heart sink when he recognized the pale blonde hair, the build of his body, and how severe his injuries were.

"You son of a-" Seonghwa went to rise from his seat, but Yohan placed a hand on his arm to stop him. He met eye contact with his brother for a brief second, catching a warning look and a shake of Yohan's head.

The men drug the small male in front of Seonghwa and dropped his limp body at his feet. Seonghwa's nails dug deep into the leather on the chair arms, practically shaking with anger as he stared at Hongjoong's bruised and busted face. He was clothed, but the simple white shirt and black pants didn't do a good job of hiding the injuries on the rest of his body. There was a subtle rise and fall of his chest, he was alive but just barely, clinging to life by a hair-thing thread.

Yohan immediately got down onto the floor and carefully scooped the smaller male into his lap. He brushed the bloodstained hair from his face, tapping his face gently to see if he could bring him back to consciousness.

Seonghwa shot a look up at Mr. Choi, a murderous look in his eyes as he clenched his jaw tightly. "I swear to God... I'll give you whatever it is the fuck you want, then I'm going to take my husband and leave... But I'll come back for you, I'll come back for your whole company and bathe in the blood of the lives you just forfeited. That's a fucking promise."

"Mars... Don't." Yohan looked up and spoke quietly to his brother so only he could hear. He could tell that Seonghwa was one step away from losing his temper, and it wouldn't be pretty for anyone. Hongjoong was an inch from death, and one wrong move could get him killed, or all of them killed for that matter.

Mr. Choi sat at his desk with his old, wrinkled hands folded politely upon the marble top. His dry almost cracked lips curled into a subtle smile upon hearing Seonghwa's threat.

"We're counting on that, Mr. Park. Now, you have your husband, let's discuss what's really at hand here."

"Let's..." Seonghwa licked his bottom lip.

______

The soft, rhythmic sound of beeping started to pull him out of the deep darkness he'd fallen into. The smell of disinfectant filled his nose, and the more he became consciously aware of everything around him, he could feel every inch of his body ache intensely.

When his eyes opened, he could only see the faint outlines of the room he was in, his vision struggling greatly as he was trying to keep himself from falling unconscious once again.

"Hongjoong?" A soothing, soft voice spoke up as the blurry silhouette appeared in his line of sight.

Hongjoong struggled to look up at the person hovering above him, but from his build, he could almost recognize him. "S... Seonghwa?"

It was then that Hongjoong's vision came into focus, and he slowly realized that it wasn't Seonghwa, it was Yohan, further proving the striking resemblance of the brothers.

Yohan's lips grew into a gentle smile as he shook his head. "No, it's me, Yohan. Seonghwa is over there." He pointed to the small couch in the corner of the room. "I promised to watch over you while he got some sleep."

Hongjoong then realized where he was. With IVs taped into his arms and hands, and the heart monitor beeping at his side, he was in the hospital. The harsh reality of everything that happened to him came rushing back all at once, his heart rate spiking almost immediately and he began to hyperventilate.

"Hey, hey... Relax. It's okay." Yohan quickly went over to Seonghwa and tried shaking him awake. "Mars, Hongjoong is awake, he needs you."

Seonghwa jolted awake and rolled over onto his back a bit. "What?" He then looked over at the hospital bed just as Hongjoong forced himself to sit up, very clearly panicked.

The black-haired male quickly rolled off the couch and rushed to Hongjoong's side. "Yohan, please leave."

Without protest, Yohan excused himself from the room very well knowing that he was no longer needed at that moment.

Seonghwa sat beside Hongjoong on the bed, grabbing his face tenderly to try and get him to relax. "Hey, easy, Joong. You're okay, you're safe, it's okay just relax."

"H-How did w-we get here? W-What happ-" Hongjoong couldn't even finish his sentence when he started to hyperventilate and sob violently.

"Hongjoong, listen to my voice. Just breathe, you're safe, and you need to lay down before you over-exert yourself." Seonghwa soothed in a calming, gentle voice. "Lay down, baby... No one is going to hurt you, you're safe now."

After a moment, Hongjoong finally laid back in the bed as he just cried. He grabbed ahold of Seonghwa's hands tightly and brought them to his face.

"S-Seonghwa... They-"

"I know. I know, baby. I'm so sorry." Seonghwa leaned down and peppered Hongjoong's forehead with tender kisses. "It's over, for now, my love. You don't have to be afraid anymore, alright? I got you."

Hongjoong wrapped his arms around Seonghwa's neck tightly, clinging to him like a broken child and crying into his shoulder. He was grateful that Seonghwa came for him, he was so relieved he didn't have to live through the torture anymore, but the memories would always be engraved into his head, another set of demons to add on top of the ones he already had.

______

After Hongjoong had finally calmed down, he immediately fell right back to sleep from all the painkillers in his system.

Seonghwa sat in a black metal chair beside the hospital bed, gently caressing Hongjoong's face with his fingertips. He tried his best to hold back the tears that threatened to spill out.

The door to the hospital room opened and Yohan came back into the room with a couple of bags of food. He walked over to the couch, sitting down quietly and setting the bags beside him. He looked between Seonghwa and Hongjoong, feeling his chest tighten at the heartbreaking display before him.

"Mars..?"

Seonghwa turned his head a bit toward Yohan, but his gaze fell to the ground. "What?" His tone was both saddened and angered.

"I know we said we wouldn't talk about it again... But are you sure you made the right choice?"

Seonghwa drew a deep breath, pulling away from Hongjoong to turn in his seat and face Yohan. His dark, empty eyes looked Yohan dead in his eyes.

"Selling dad's company was the only thing I could do at that moment, Yohan. If it's the key to getting what they want, then they can have it."

"But-"

Seonghwa stood up and walked up to his brother, leaning down into his face. "They. Can. Have. It. Besides..." He paused as a wicked smile grew on his lips. "They won't keep it for very long."

Yohan furrowed his brows at Seonghwa, slightly unsettled by the expression on his face. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm keeping my promise, dear brother." Seonghwa tapped his brother's face with a low chuckle. "I'm gonna bathe in the blood the lovely Mr. Choi just forfeited to me."

"Mars..." Yohan shook his head slowly.

"Eye for an eye, and oh, how I CRAVE to have their blood soaking my hands..."

"Every. Single. One..."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	21. Chapter 20

The scenery from the car window passed by quickly like a film reel unraveling. With his forehead pressed against the cool glass, Hongjoong just watched the blur of trees and grass zoom by, seeming to be stuck inside his head. His gaze turned to the side mirror of the car, finally catching a glimpse of his reflection for the first time since everything that had happened.

Hongjoong's top lip was busted, as well as his bottom lip in two places. Remnants of black and blue tinted his cheeks and peeked out from the collar of his shirt, his right eye still swollen, and the white of his eye tainted with red from blood vessels that burst. A gash upon his jawline, which had long been cleaned and stitched up, was in the process of healing. That was only his face, beneath his clothes, his side had a large, black bruise the size of a football and his ribs were badly bruised. Every breath that he took sent a zing of pain throughout his body, but the painkillers he was on helped take most of the edge off.

Needless to say, the doctor that treated him was surprised that his body didn't give out from the severe trauma he sustained, the shock should've killed him, but he had managed to pull through. The word on his mental state was undetermined, but it didn't take rocket science to figure out that Hongjoong would need extensive therapy after everything he had gone through.

Next to him in the driver's seat sat Yohan, who had remained silent for a majority of the long drive back home. Seonghwa said he needed to take care of some business before he returned home, so he left Hongjoong in the hands of his brother.

Other than the sound of the tires running against the pavement, they both listened to the sound of their own breathing. It was almost maddening.

Yohan took his eyes off of the road for a brief moment to glance over at the smaller male in the passenger's seat. "Hongjoong?"

Hongjoong didn't even respond, he just glanced over at Yohan for a second before his gaze returned back to his reflection in the mirror.

It was silent for a while before Yohan made another attempt.

"I know I'm not the one you want to talk to, you don't know me very well at all, I can understand if you don't trust me," Yohan said in a soft voice as he adjusted his grip on the steering wheel a bit.

The smaller male uncomfortably shifted himself in the car seat and turned more toward the window. He took the soft flesh of his bottom lip between his teeth, tenderly running the tip of his tongue over the busted wounds.

Yohan let out a subtle sigh. "I'm sorry. I won't force you to talk if you don't want to. I just... I want you to know I understand how you could be feeling right now."

"You don't know anything." Hongjoong was quick to respond in a low tone of voice.

"I know more than you think I do."

The blonde-haired male snapped his head to look over at Yohan. "Oh yeah? And how exactly do YOU think I feel?"

"You feel alone, drifting through each second on autopilot. You feel like you're no longer in control of your body, you're ashamed of the things that happened to you, and you feel as if every bit of it is your fault. Every feeling, every emotion, it all feels numb to you. You feel as if you're trapped in a box, and no matter how loud you scream and claw at the walls until your fingers bleed, you can't escape it." Yohan took another glance at Hongjoong. "That's how you feel because that's how I felt."

Hongjoong just blinked once, staring at Yohan for the longest time. He drew a deep breath, his gaze drifting toward the floor of the car. A small part of him wanted to deny that's how he felt, but Yohan had hit it right on the nail, down to every last detail.

"I know my brother didn't tell you a lot about me, and I understand that. But I endured a life similar to what you experienced, except it went on for years. Groomed, conditioned, beaten, assaulted... All because I was a pawn in some game I had no control over, and my father sure as hell did nothing to change that. Just faked my death and moved on with life as if I never existed... They were going to kill me but found a better use for me anyway. A pet, useful but expendable at any given time. I know how it feels, I do."

Hongjoong looked over at Yohan again, swallowing hard as he let out a sigh. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

"You don't need to be sorry for anything. Just know..." Yohan paused to give Hongjoong a subtle, reassuring smile. "You may feel alone, but you're not. I know I'm not Seonghwa, I'm not your husband, you may not trust me enough to know the extent of your trauma and how you feel about it, but I can help you deal with it. You don't have to take my help, but just know that I'm here for you, alright?"

It almost felt as if a bit of the weight on Hongjoong's shoulders eased up. He didn't feel as isolated and closed-off as much, especially knowing that there was someone who understood everything.

Hongjoong didn't say anything, he just nodded his head once with compliance and turned his gaze to the scenery out of his window.

Yohan nodded soon after. "Alright then."

______

By the time the two had arrived back at the home, night had fallen and Hongjoong had long passed out cold from all the painkillers in his system. Despite Yohan's efforts to awaken him, they were to no avail.

With a small backpack of Hongjoong's things slung over his shoulder, he had taken the liberty to remove Hongjoong from the car and carry the small male into the house.

Just as Yohan kicked the front door shut, Seonghwa's assistant, Mingi, had come trotting down the stairs with hope on his face. He was quick to approach Yohan, who had Hongjoong in his arms bridal style.

"Oh my God... Hongjoong... Is he-?"

"He's alright, he's just doped up on meds so I'm going to take him to bed," Yohan grunted a little bit as he adjusted his grip on Hongjoong, making his way over to the stairs, Mingi following close by.

"Where is Mr. Park? Why didn't he come with?" Mingi questioned curiously, ascending the steps with Yohan.

"Seonghwa said he needed to deal with something and left me in charge of Hongjoong until he returned." Yohan huffed out, turning down the hall toward Seonghwa and Hongjoong's bedroom. "I didn't bother questioning his intentions, I just did as he told me to."

Mingi rushed ahead to the bedroom door, turning the handle and pushing it open for Yohan to enter. Yohan nodded his head as a 'thank you', stepping into the room and making his way over to the bed. He was careful as he laid Hongjoong into the bed, soon removing his shoes and pulling the satin covers up to his shoulders.

From behind him, Yohan could hear light sniffling and sighs. He furrowed his brows, turning around slowly to see the assistant leaning against the door frame, a hand clamped over his mouth as a few tears spilled from his eyes.

Yohan quickly walked over to him, grabbing him by the arm gently as he pulled him out of the room and into the hallway. He closed the bedroom door behind them so they wouldn't disturb Hongjoong, then turned his attention back to Mingi.

"Why are you crying?" Yohan questioned with curiosity on his face.

"Hongjoong is my best friend..." Mingi choked out through his quiet sobs. "Seeing him like that and knowing what happened... Why would someone do something like that to him?"

Yohan grabbed the taller male by his shoulders tenderly, tilting his head to the side as he looked up at him. "He's going to be alright. Maybe not now, definitely not tomorrow, but he's going to be okay. Seonghwa is going to handle-"

"Handle it? Go on a killing spree? Risking his life just to get revenge? Revenge won't change what happened to Hongjoong, it won't take his pain away. What if something happens to Mr. Park in the process?" Mingi dropped his head toward the floor, his shoulder's shaking as he tried to stifle his cries.

Yohan let out a soft sigh from his nostrils, glancing around for a brief moment before focusing back on Mingi. "Look, let's just go get a drink and calm down, yeah? There's nothing we can do right now, we just need to be patient. Come on."

Yohan took Mingi by the hand, pulling him down the hallway. Their footsteps trotted in unison down the steps and Yohan had led the taller male into the parlor right across the hall from the kitchen. He sat Mingi down in one of the black barstools, then rounded the bar to make his selection from the endless supply of liquor lining the walls on glass shelves.

Mingi rested his elbows upon the countertop of the bar, resting his head into his palms and grabbing two fistfuls of his hair. He let out a shaky sigh, a couple of tears dripping onto the countertop.

Once Yohan made his selection, he made his way over to the empty barstool directly beside MIngi, taking the glass top out of a slender whiskey decanter with a soft popping sound. He held out the bottle to the other male and nudged his arm with it.

"Take a drink, it'll help ease your nerves."

Raising his head a bit from his palms, Mingi glanced over at the black-haired male beside him with tearful eyes.

"Mr. Park would kill me if I-"

"He's not here right now, is he? Besides, I'm his brother, half of his authority is mine, and I'm telling you to take a drink." Yohan tilted his head as he shoved the bottle more into Mingi's face.

Ming's eyes darted between the decanter and Yohan as if he were trying to decide whether or not to do as he said. After a while of morally debating in his head, Mingi huffed out softly and took the decanter from Yohan. He brought the glass to his lips, tilting his head back to allow a large amount of the potent, burning liquid to pour down his throat.

Yohan placed a tender hand on Mingi's shoulder, the corners of his lips upturning into a reassuring smile. When the taller male finally parted his lips from the decanter, his face scrunched up, grunting softly from the taste before setting it down on the counter.

"How did someone like you come to work for someone like my brother? You're far from similar to the rest of the guard dogs he's got walking around." Yohan asked curiously, grabbing the decanter and taking a big drink himself.

Mingi got a weird look on his face when he looked over at Yohan, drying his cheeks with his sleeves. "And your point being?"

Yohan gave a subtle shrug of his shoulders and shook his head. "I don't know, it was just a question. You're... Sensitive, more emotional than the rest. I'm just curious where my brother found someone like you and why you would choose to work for him."

The taller male grazed his tongue against the inside of his lip, drawing a deep breath in through his nose. "About over a year ago, Mr. Park picked me up off the streets. I never knew my dad and my mom committed suicide when I was a kid, so I grew up as a ward of the state. Once I became a legal adult, I struggled to keep a job and a stable place to lay my head at night, so I did the only thing I could think of to keep myself alive..." Mingi snatched the bottle from Yohan, taking another drink before he passed it back to him.

Yohan's brows furrowed curiously. "What did you have to do?"

Yohan watched as an uncomfortable look washed over Mingi's face. The taller male sat back in the barstool, rubbing his nose a bit with his index finger. He then met Yohan's gaze, clearly trying to hide the tragic look in his eyes.

"Well, the only thing I COULD do. I met this guy that said he could help me make a lot of money just doing one simple thing... I started selling my body to strangers, sometimes multiple strangers at once, all to keep food in my stomach and a hotel room to stay in."

Yohan blinked once in disbelief, feeling a tinge of pity spark in his chest. "So... How did you run into Seonghwa then?"

"One of my clients just so happened to be a business partner of his. He saw how poorly I was being treated, how badly I was being abused and I guess he pitied me." Mingi shrugged, dropping his head to look at the ground. "He made sure I never had to demoralize myself like that again, gave me a roof over my head, and in exchange I handle most of his appointments and meetings. Hongjoong and I became very close right off the bat, he helped me through a lot of my emotional trauma."

"It does seem like your situation got better... But do you ever fear that this choice is worse than the last? I mean, you are aware of-"

"Yes, I know. Mr. Park isn't exactly a saint by any means, I'm very aware of the kind of work he does and the risks that come with it, but I owe him my life." Mingi raised his head a bit to look at Yohan. "If it weren't for Mr. Park and Hongjoong, I don't know where I would be right now... If I was asked to lay down my life for either of them, I wouldn't hesitate. You understand that, right?"

Yohan bit down on the tip of his tongue for a moment, nodding his head slightly. "Yeah... I get it."

"Anyway... I have some work to get back to. Thank you for talking with me." Mingi huffed out as he slid off of the barstool.

Just as Mingi was about to walk out of the parlor, Yohan caught him by the arm when he passed, stopping him in his tracks.

"You don't have to leave," Yohan said in a softer voice looking up at Mingi.

Mingi looked down at Yohan's hand on his arm before meeting his gaze. He just gently shook his arm free from his grasp, straightening out the sleeve of his suit jacket so it wasn't wrinkled.

"I appreciate whatever you're trying to do, but professionalism is very important to me. Goodnight, Mr. Park." Mingi bowed his head politely, starting to walk away once more.

"Don't call me Mr. Park," Yohan called after Mingi. "Yohan is just fine." He sighed out slightly as he took another drink from the decanter.

Mingi paused in the threshold of the parlor for a brief moment, glancing at Yohan over his shoulder. "Alright... Yohan it is. Goodnight."

With that, Mingi completely removed himself from the room, and a deafening silence followed. Yohan turned his head to look out in the hall for a moment, another sigh slipping out through his nose. He dropped his head back to stare at the ceiling.

"Goodnight, Mingi," Yohan muttered quietly to himself.

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	22. Chapter 21

A pungent smell of coffee tickled the little hairs in his nose, bringing his dormant mind back from slumber. When his eyes opened, a stream of light pouring in from the curtains caused him to squint his eyes.

Hongjoong felt a sense of warmth against his back, fingertips running through his hair with a beautiful song being hummed in his ear.

He slowly craned his neck to look over his shoulder, meeting eye contact with just the man he wanted to see.

Plump lips formed into a smile. "You're finally awake," Seonghwa spoke in a sweet, gentle tone of voice.

Although no matter how hard he tried to act like everything was okay, Seonghwa still looked like he had aged a few years from the stress he was under. The slight evidence of dark circles forming under his eyes and a poorly masked look of worry upon his face.

"I made you breakfast, I know you have been prescribed a few weeks of bed rest, so I wanted to do this for you." Seonghwa leaned his face forward, placing tender kisses upon Hongjoong's jawline.

"Where did you go yesterday?" Hongjoong asked with a frown and managed to roll over, wincing from the pain shooting through his side.

"Hey, hey... Relax. Don't move so much, little one." Seonghwa stroked Hongjoong's bruised cheek with his index finger. "Let me help you sit up." It was clear that Seonghwa was dodging around the question.

Hooking an arm behind his neck, Seonghwa grabbed Hongjoong by his hip and helped him sit up slowly. Hongjoong whimpered softly under a strained breath, grunting when he was finally rested back against the headboard.

"You didn't answer my question, Hwa." He pointed out as he watched Seonghwa grab a bed tray from the nightstand, and place it over his lap. A slight frown grew upon his face, paying no attention to the small buffet in front of him.

"Hwa."

Seonghwa paused for a moment, meeting his lover's gaze. "I was just getting some stuff done." He said in a dismissive tone and grabbed the silverware, starting to cut up the pancakes on the tray.

"What stuff?"

Seonghwa huffed out and set the silverware down. "Look, don't worry about it, alright? Everything from this point on is none of your concern."

"How is it none of my concern when I was the one that they-"

"Stop."

There was a long silence that followed as both males stared at one another. Seonghwa knew that Hongjoong wasn't going to let it go, there was no point in trying to keep anything from him.

With a sigh, Seonghwa sat back on the bed and ran a hand through his black hair. "Look, I was meeting with some of my mercenaries. After getting you back, I tried to track the Choi family down, and..."

"And what?"

"They've vanished. We searched the place where we last met them, and there was not a single trace of where they went."

Hongjoong blinked, swallowing the flames that started to ignite in his gut and travel up to his throat. "You just... lost them..? You didn't DO A DAMN-" Just as he was about to lose his temper, Seonghwa cut him off.

"I did everything that I could! Alright? I was NOT going to endanger your life anymore! Getting you out of there was the first priority and then going after them was the second."

"Do you even know EXACTLY what they-"

"I fucking watched." Seonghwa's tone darkened shot a look at Hongjoong, the muscles in his jaw clenching tightly. "I saw EVERYTHING, Joong, I know what they did. Don't think for a second that I'm not taking this seriously because you know DAMN WELL that anyone who touches you without my permission is going to have their head encased in gold on our bedroom wall."

Hongjoong licked at the inside of his cheek, looking over toward the curtained panoramic window as tears started to well up in his eyes. He wasn't angry with Seonghwa, not even the slightest, it was the fact that the Choi family had practically gotten away with what they had done to him. It made him sick to his stomach.

"Please, Joong... I'm doing everything I can. I'm going to make sure they pay for what they did to you, just give me time. I will get this done..." He softened his tone, taking one of his lover's hands in his and bringing his knuckles to his lips.

Hongjoong drew a shaky breath, his attempts at holding back his tears failed as they started to trickle down his cheeks. "Just... Get it done, Hwa..."

"I will, I promise. You are my life, my king, and I will lay my life down to rebuild your kingdom. I have my best working on their location as we speak, but right now, I'm here for you and you only. You need to eat, build your strength up."

Hongjoong shook his head and looked over at Seonghwa, blinking away tears from his eyes. "I can't... I just can't."

"You have to. I know you don't want to but you need to. Just do it for me, alright?" Seonghwa let go of his hand for a moment to grab the glass of orange juice from the tray. He held the brim of the glass to his lips.

"Please, Joongie... You can't deprive yourself."

After coaxing him a little more, Seonghwa was finally able to get Hongjoong to eat every crumb of the food on the tray. He gripped the edges of the tray, moving it to the floor on the side of the bed. He turned back to Hongjoong, scooting closer to him and snaking an arm around his shoulders.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Seonghwa asked in a gentle tone as he buried his face into his lover's soft hair. "I love you, Joong... I'm not gonna leave your side unless you ask me to.

Hongjoong turned his head to press his face into Seonghwa's shoulder. He didn't say anything back, but Seonghwa knew very well how much he loved him. He just didn't have the energy to speak anymore. Being in his husband's arms, listening to the deafening silence was the only thing he could stand at the moment.

______

A male grunted in frustration, slamming a phone on the table after a disappointing conversation.

Mingi leaned with his elbows upon the kitchen counter, rubbing his forehead with a deep sigh. He had been working since earlier that morning before the sun even peeked over the horizon.

Still no answers, and no possible means of a lead. Each time he would come close to something, he would always end up ten steps behind again.

"Good morning."

A voice behind him caused him to jump, quickly turning to see who it was. When he locked eyes with a grinning Yohan, he gave a subtle roll of his eyes and turned back to the laptop screen.

"I wouldn't exactly call it good," Mingi grumbled under his breath and brought his fingers to the keyboard, getting back to work.

"What are you working on?" Yohan slipped onto the stool next to Mingi, leaning over to peek at the screen.

"Believe it or not, I'm really good with computers and hacking. Mr. Park brought me a computer that was left behind from the search last night. I've gotten into the computer, but I can't access any of the files yet. I've been at this for hours."

Yohan furrowed his brows slightly as he looked between the laptop and Mingi. "Wait. This was just a random laptop they left behind? Why would they do that?"

"That's what I'm confused about. Something about this doesn't seem right, but I do have my orders."

A little chime sounded from the computer, "ACCESS GRANTED" flashing in large print across the screen. Mingi's eyes widened with a bright smile, laughing with victory.

"Finally! Now I can pick the contents and potentially trace any connection to another a network if it exists."

Yohan started to get a little uneasy as he watched Mingi go through the files that were stored on the laptop. "Should you really be going through all of that? I mean, what if you find something you don't wanna see?"

"I've seen everything at this point." Mingi shook his head dismissively, clicking on a video file for it to play. "There's nothing that can-"

Mingi suddenly stopped what he was doing.

As the video started, a bloodied Yohan could be seen sitting at a table across from a camera that was presumably set upon a tripod. Dialogue started to play through the speakers.

"We're gonna go over this again..."

"Please don't make me..." Yohan lowered his head and started to sob. "Please. I can't..."

Another man with a black mask over his face stepped into the frame, grabbing Yohan by his jaw roughly.

"You can and you will!" The man barked. "Repeat the plan. Out loud."

"Please..."

SMACK! Yohan's head flew to the side as he was struck, a small whimper sounding through his lips.

"REPEAT THE PLAN!"

"I-I... I am to be r-returned to my brother while th-the target is acquired... I earn his trust and p-provide intel for the company-"

Mingi hit the space bar to pause the video, staring at the screen in horror. He glanced over at Yohan before turning his head to look at him. Yohan's eyes blinked with shock, his face starting to twist uncomfortably.

"You..."

"I-It's not what it-"

"YOU are the reason this happened..."

"Please, let me explain."

"EXPLAIN WHAT?!" Mingi suddenly shouted with anger in his voice, leaping up from his stool to get in Yohan's voice. "YOU KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN! YOU'VE BEEN ON THE INSIDE THIS WHOLE TIME!"

"Wait-"

Mingi had grabbed Yohan by his collar and thrown him to the ground from the stool. "WHAT ELSE DO YOU KNOW?!"

"What the hell is going on in here? I JUST got Hongjoong back to sleep, if you guys wake him up, I'll-" Seonghwa could be heard talking with a stern voice before he came walking into the kitchen. He paused when he saw an enraged Mingi standing over Yohan.

"What's happening here?"

"Mars-"

Yohan tried to speak but Mingi cut him off. "He fucking knew what was going to happen. He was apart of their little plan, HE'S the reason Hongjoong was taken."

The expression in Seonghwa's face fell, his heart dropping into his stomach when he looked from Mingi to Yohan, who met his gaze as he stood to his feet.

"Wait... Excuse me? Did I hear you right?" Seonghwa squinted his eyes, his voice dramatically dropping an octave.

"Mars, just let me explain."

"You don't need to say a damn thing." Mingi snapped, turning back to the computer and playing the video again at full volume.

After Seonghwa heard everything on the video, the look in his eyes was consumed by darkness, his right brow twitching from the brewing anger in his veins.

"This is all because of you..." Seonghwa slowly approached his brother, licking the inside of his lip.

"Please, there's more to that and I can tell you everything. Just let me speak for myself." Yohan put up a hand in surrender, backing against the counter nervously.

"Oh, I'll find out every FUCKING thing you know." Seonghwa didn't stop until he was just mere centimeters from his brother's face. "I could kill you..." Seonghwa growled lowly, his hands trembling. "But I no longer stain my hands with dirty blood. I'll get every bit of information from you, and I'll make sure my men aren't so gentle... Whether or not you come out alive is up to them."

Fear riddled Yohan's face as he swallowed hard. "I'm your brother, Mars... I'm your blood and family. You would have me killed?"

"The ONLY family I have is the man lying in my bed! You are the reason I almost lost him! FUCK blood, and FUCK you." Seonghwa let out a twisted laugh, shaking his head. "Let's see how easy these bones break, shall we?"

"Mars-"

"GET HIM OUT OF HERE! TAKE HIM DOWNSTAIRS!" Seonghwa shouted.

Just as Seonghwa stepped to the side, two men came into the room and practically hoisted Yohan off of his feet by both arms.

"WAIT! MARS, PLEASE! DON'T DO THIS!" Yohan's pleads faded quickly down the hall as he was dragged off.

Seonghwa rolled his neck, a series of cracks sounding as he let out a deep sigh. "My own fucking brother..."

"I'll make sure we get everything out of him, sir. Don't worry about any of it." Mingi fixed his suit with a nod and walked up to Seonghwa. "You worry about Hongjoong for now and let me handle this."

"Make sure he fucking bleeds." Seonghwa shot a look over at Mingi for a long moment, then spun on his heels to exit the room. "I'll be down to check on the progress after lunch."

"I'll ENSURE that, sir. Don't you worry about that..."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	23. Chapter 22

Light flooded into the room, causing his eyes to sting from the harsh adjustment of his pupils. He squinted his eyes and looked over toward the door, seeing a smaller figure walking into the room with something in their hands.

His body ached from being beaten so badly, wrists bloodied from being tied behind his back with a coarse strip of rope, jaw dislocated and eyes were swollen black. 

The automatic lights in the room flickered on, his vision slowly coming back into focus as he saw Hongjoong kneel before his feet. He looked better than he had when he came home from the hospital, the look of emptiness and fear absent from his face. It was odd that he seemed to have gotten over it that quickly.

"Oh, Yohan..." His soft voice soothed, setting a bowl of cold water at his side and dropping a cloth into it. "You don't deserve this." 

Yohan didn't say anything, seeing the pity on the smaller male's face didn't bring him comfort.

"This will hurt, I'm sorry." Hongjoong placed his hands on either side of Yohan's jaw, and with one sharp movement, he had shoved Yohan's jaw back into place with a sickening snap.

Yohan ripped his face away and cried out with pain, growling under his breath soon after.

"Why are you here? Wouldn't Seonghwa-"

"Seonghwa won't do shit. When I found out what he was doing to you, I nearly killed him." Hongjoong grabbed the rag from the water, squeezing it out before he began to dab Yohan's face tenderly. "I know you've been down here for a couple of days."

A slight look of confusion washed over Yohan's face. "You don't blame me?"

"I wasn't held captive as long as you, but I know exactly what they're capable of. You're not to blame, you were a victim just like I was, a pawn in a game you didn't want to play. They used you for their benefit, I saw the video, and if they had to beat the information into you, it just shows you weren't deliberately trying to cause harm. It's not your fault, Yohan." Hongjoong put on a gentle smile, keeping eye contact with Yohan as he cleaned him up.

"I'm so sorry..."

"I've been through worse. I'm married to fucking Park Seonghwa, for God's sake. I've sustained enough trauma to last me five lifetimes." Hongjoong dropped the rag back into the water, then reached into the pocket of his jeans to pull out a pocket knife.

"Surely, you must be carrying it around with you..." Yohan looked toward the ground as Hongjoong cut his wrists free. "I don't know how you live with it." Yohan brought his hands to his lap, tenderly rubbing the raw skin around his wrists.

"Seonghwa isn't perfect, that's no secret. He's problematic and temperamental, but I love him. He keeps me grounded, and I do my best to do the same to him. We're not good for each other, but we're also nothing without the other. I tried to stay away from him at one time but... I couldn't." Hongjoong sighed out and placed his hands on his hips. "Yes, I do struggle with the demons every day, fighting a war against myself, but I can't change the past. What's done is done, and one day I'll be free of it."

"Where is he anyway?" Yohan looked up at Hongjoong, a weary look upon his face.

"He's upstairs in the parlor. I called our personal doctor, he's waiting upstairs as well in the foyer. It looks like most of the damage is in your face so you should be fine, but I just wanted to make sure, so I called him to come check you out. But... Please stay away from Seonghwa for a while. He's already upset with me because I raised hell over how he's treating you." Hongjoong squatted down and picked up the bowl from the floor. "I'll handle him for now."

Yohan watched Hongjoong flash another smile, then turn on his heels before he walked up the stairs. 

Yohan dreaded the thought of going upstairs and potentially running into his brother. He understood his brother's anger, but he would forever remember the intense look in his eyes with every blow he landed on his face.

______

Tracing the rim of his crystal glass, Seonghwa stared at the light caramel-colored liquid at the bottom. He was already a few drinks in at that point, so his anger from earlier in the morning had slightly decreased.

BANG!

A blue bowl slammed on the counter of the parlor, cold water sloshing onto its surface and onto Seonghwa's lap. He jumped and looked up, meeting the angry gaze of his husband.

"You said you only smacked him around a little. I found him with two black eyes, a busted face, and a dislocated jaw that I had to put back in place." Hongjoong snapped, taking the wet rag from the bowl and throwing it at Seonghwa's face. "What the FUCK is wrong with you?"

Seonghwa stood up from his stool, facing Hongjoong as he threw the rag to the ground. "How the hell was I supposed to react? Learning that MY brother was involved with-"

"He WASN'T the culprit! He was just a puppet! Any SANE person would have seen that video and figured out that he was GROOMED into doing what he did. That doesn't mean you beat the shit out of him!" 

"Yep. I'm the bad guy as usual." Seonghwa said in a sarcastic tone, letting out a scoff.

"You're a fucking psychotic criminal, you're ALWAYS the bad guy."

"And you're a pain in my ass! I'm always running around trying to save you and all you do is get mad at me!"

Hongjoong fell silent for a moment, glancing over at the crystal glass upon the counter. "You know what? Fuck you. Drown your problems with your whiskey." He brought his gaze back to Seonghwa's, frowning deeply. "Come talk to me when you're sober and you wanna apologize for what you just said to me, asshole."

Hongjoong had turned to walk away, but Seonghwa caught him by his wrist and stopped him. He turned his head, shooting a glare at him.

"Let go of me."

"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean what I said, it's just... I know none of this is about me, I didn't go through the shit you did, but see things through my eyes for just a second, Joong. I was terrified I was going to burying my husband rather than bringing him home. Knowing my brother was involved with what happened to you? I'm FURIOUS, and I have EVERY right to be. Let's say it wasn't his fault, hm? It doesn't change that he played a part in all of this."

"I HAVE been looking at this through your eyes, but I WILL NOT condone this bullshit. He DID NOT deserve ANY of that after the YEARS of torture he has already been through. Maybe before you fly off the handle, you need to stop and think about shit for a minute, weigh out both sides of the situation." Hongjoong shook his head. "The man right here in front of me is not the man from a year ago, this is the old you, and I almost divorced the old you..." Hongjoong ripped his wrist away from Seonghwa's grasp, then stormed out of the parlor without another word.

Seonghwa sighed out deeply and closed his eyes. The last words out of his husband's mouth sent a pain through his chest. 

Maybe he was right, maybe he was letting himself slip back into the person he fought so hard to change...

______

In order to distance Yohan from Seonghwa for a while, Hongjoong had him moved to the small beach house that they owned that was a couple of miles down the shoreline and even ensured that the house was protected, just in case Seonghwa blew his top again.

Night had long fallen, the long, frustrating day finally coming to an end.

Instant noodles softly boiled in a pot upon the stove along with the sounds of a knife connecting with a cutting board. Hongjoong chopped a couple of red chilis at a slanted angle, then lifted the cutting board over the pot and used the knife to push the chilis into the pot. He grabbed the small foil packing, flicking the bottom of it to level out the seasoning inside. He put the edge between his teeth to rip open the package and dumped it into the pot, watching the water turn a dark shade of red.

It was then that a pair of soft hands snaked around his waist. Warm breath tickled his neck as Seonghwa pressed his face into his hair.

"Get off of me," Hongjoong said in a disinterested tone, grabbing the chopsticks from beside the pot to stir the noodles.

"Are you still mad at me?" Seonghwa spoke softly as he rested his chin upon Hongjoong's shoulder, watching his husband cook.

"Are you still a criminal?" Hongjoong fired back.

Seonghwa sighed and wrapped his arms tighter around his husband's small waist. "Joong, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, I didn't mean the things that I said. I was just... I let my emotions get the best of me."

"We've been married for how many years now? You should know that kissing my ass doesn't work on me anymore." Hongjoong pinched some of the noodles with the chopsticks, cupping a hand under the noodles as he blew on it softly. He then turned around to face Seonghwa, offering the bite to him. 

"You know I don't like spicy food."

"Eat it." Hongjoong wasn't offering, he was demanding.

Seonghwa looked down at his lover for a moment but did as he said, taking the bite into his mouth and starting to chew. It was incredibly spicy, all corners of his mouth tingling and stinging, his face contorted with discomfort.

"I made enough for two of us, and you're gonna eat the whole bowl."

"But-"

Hongjoong jabbed Seonghwa in the side with the chopsticks, shooting a look at him as he grabbed his side and backed off a bit. "The WHOLE bowl." He pushed Seonghwa further away from him, then returned to the pot.

There were two bowls waiting on the counter. He turned off the stovetop and grabbed the pot by the handle. He poured equal amounts of the noodles into each bowl, handing one of the bowls to Seonghwa with an extra pair of chopsticks for him. He had no clue what Hongjoong was up to, but he figured this was his way of getting payback.

After he took the bowl, he walked over and sat down at the island counter, Hongjoong following beside him as he shoved a bite into his mouth. He didn't say anything further to Seonghwa, he just ate the noodles in silence.

The black-haired male just rolled his eyes with a deep sigh, taking the chopsticks in his hand and taking a small bite of the noodles. While it had a good taste, it was way too spicy for Seonghwa's liking, spicy food was never a favorite of his.

"I sent Mingi to the beach house with Yohan."

"You what?" Seonghwa looked over at Hongjoong with a brow raised.

"Mingi felt bad for the way that he reacted when he found out, he offered to go with Yohan and keep him company until you cooled off."

"Joong, I-"

"Eat your food, Seonghwa. I don't want to hear it." Hongjoong was quick to shush him, blowing on a bit of noodles to cool it off before he put it on his mouth.

"I know I went a little far-"

"I said eat your damn food. I know you, you're just going to repeat the same shit in a reworded sentence hoping that somehow it will make more sense to me. I'm gonna finish up here and go to bed. YOU can sleep in the guest room."

Seonghwa stared at his husband with a growing sense of frustration becoming heavy upon his shoulders. "If you would just let me talk, that would be REALLY fucking nice."

"Not my problem." Hongjoong gave a subtle shrug of his shoulders, quickly finishing off his bowl with a couple more bites.

The blonde male got up from his stool, taking his bowl over to the sink to rinse it out. Just as he turned around, he was met face to face with Seonghwa, who had a very unhappy look on his face.

"Oh... I'm sorry. Did I make you mad? That's unfortunate." Sarcasm hung heavily in Hongjoong's voice.

"Why the hell are you still acting like this? I apologized to you."

"I guess I'm just a pain in your ass."

Seonghwa just stared at Hongjoong in silence. That's when he noticed the corner of his mouth starting to twitch as if he were trying not to smile. He then squinted his eyes suspiciously.

"You're fucking with me, aren't you..."

Hongjoong gave a little chuckle, standing up on his tip toes to place a kiss on his cheek. "Only a little... You're still sleeping in the guest room though, AND finishing that bowl of noodles. I'm treating you as you would treat me if I misbehaved, so be a good dog and obey."

Seonghwa raised his brows and blinked in shock, watching Hongjoong slip around him and walk out of the kitchen. His frustration was quickly replaced with confusion, he had no idea what had just happened.

"Did he just-?"

"Goodnight, Seonghwa~" He heard Hongjoong call from upstairs, followed by the sound of the door shutting.

Seonghwa started to laugh, slumping his shoulders in defeat as he rubbed his forehead. "That little shit..."

Hongjoong definitely gave him a taste of his own medicine, and he respected it more than he was mad about it.

With a sharp exhale, he rounded the counter once again, picking up the chopsticks that he had dropped into his bowl. He didn't like spicy food, and he definitely didn't like being ordered around, but it was Hongjoong. 

Hongjoong could tell him to take a bullet and he would, if he wanted him to suffer and eat the noodles, then he was going to do just that. He deserved this small punishment anyway, he knew Hongjoong could have done much worse if he wanted to.

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	24. Chapter 23

Eager to uncover the last location of the Choi family, Seonghwa had begun working day and night for the past few days, hoping that even the slightest lead would lead them in the right direction.

The handmade clock upon the wall in the corner of his office ticked in a steady rhythm, each tick adding another thin layer to the frustration weighing down on his shoulders. Seonghwa was on his fourth cigarette of the morning, a plume of white smoke streaming through his nose as his fingers worked aggressively against the keys of his laptop.

Just as he was about to lose his temper for a brief second, the sound of the door to his office opening broke his concentration. Still in his morning robe and bed matted hair, Hongjoong strolled into the office with what looked like a folder in his hands.

"What are you doing up?" Seonghwa quickly removed the cigarette from his lips, stubbing it out in the crystal ashtray that sat on the edge of his desk.

"Never send an idiot to do an expert's job." Hongjoong stopped in front of the desk and tossed the file upon its surface.

Seonghwa's brows frowned in confusion as he glanced at the file. "What is that?"

"You know what it is."

Reaching over, he took the file in his hand and used his index finger to slide it open. After skimming the content of the file, he shot a look up at Hongjoong with his look of confusion becoming a look of shock.

"Where the hell did you get this?"

Hongjoong crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side. "Clearly, you forget who the hell is your best advocate. I did the research myself. They were last active on the southern coast, someone was careless by using an unprotected network. You're welcome." 

Seonghwa took a moment to go over the file again before he locked eyes with Hongjoong once more. "What have I told you about-"

"Not getting involved? These people need to pay for what they've done, not only to me but to what they did to YOUR family. I took matters into my own hands because I know how to get things done. You could at least thank me." 

Seonghwa rubbed his chin with a soft sigh. He wasn't a fan of Hongjoong getting himself in the middle of the chaos, but he appreciated the effort he was willing to give.

He leaned back in his chair and pushed himself away from the desk a bit, patting his inner thigh. "Come here, little one."

Hongjoong unfolded his arms from his chest, walking around the desk with a growing smile on his lips. He took his place on Seonghwa's lap and wrapped his arms around his neck, Seonghwa's hands finding a comfortable place upon his hips.

"I do thank you, and thanks to you, we can move forward on taking down the biggest rival we've had for years. I don't like that you got involved, but you did well." Seonghwa leaned in and placed a few kisses along the edge of his husband's jawline. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me." Hongjoong grinned as he brushed a few black strands of Seonghwa's hair from his face. "As I said, never send an idiot to do an expert's job. Now... Do with that information as you wish. Get it done."

"You know that I will..."

"Good, and when you're done, you can grow a pair and apologize to your brother." With that, Hongjoong slipped out of Seonghwa's lap and made his way toward the door.

"Now I never agreed to-"

"You WILL agree to it or I'll kick your ass. Just get your job done, I don't like hearing you whine." 

Seonghwa licked the edges of his teeth, watching Hongjoong leave his office without another word. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself, his husband had become quite assertive and demanding, but he liked it. It made him feel better that Hongjoong was overcoming his demons rather than allowing them to consume him.

But now it was time to take charge of the initial goal...

Take down Choi Trade once and for all.

______

It didn't take Seonghwa very long at all to gather up a team and pack up all the firepower that he would need in order to establish the right amount of force. Since it was a personal matter, he was going to make sure that he got blood on his hands.

In two separate vans, men loaded up guns and strapped themselves with heavy protective gear. They didn't know if they were going to find anything along the southern coast, so Seonghwa made sure to have an air support on standby in case an oversea trip was necessary.

As Seonghwa was observing his men prepare to move out, a small hand snaked around his bicep, catching his attention. He turned his head to the side, meeting the worried gaze of his husband.

"Do you really have to go? I don't feel good about this."

Seonghwa turned to Hongjoong and squatted down a bit, wrapping his arms around Hongjoong's legs to pick him up. "We talked about this, Joong... You know why I have to go."

"But I just don't thing its-" Hongjoong had started to protest, but a pair of warm, soft lips had silenced him.

The kiss lingered for a while, a vibrating sense of passion exchanged between the both of them. Finally, Seonghwa broke away from the kiss and gave Hongjoong a reassuring smile. 

"You don't have to worry... I can't say that this is going to go well because I know that it won't, but I'm doing this for you... AND my brother. They've gotten away with too much for too long, and I'm going to put a stop to it."

Hongjoong stared down into Seonghwa's eyes, the worried look still worn on his face. "Do you promise that you'll come back to me? Don't get yourself killed, Hwa... Please." The smaller male sounded as if he was going to cry.

"I promise I will come back to you, you know I will." Seonghwa placed another kiss on his lips. "Seeing your pretty face again will be my motivation to stay alive no matter the cost. I WILL come back to you."

"Sir, we're ready to go."

Hongjoong glanced over at the man that called to Seonghwa, then focused his gaze back on his husband. "You better... Or I'll bring you back to life and kill you again."

Seonghwa let out a light laugh as he placed the smaller male back on the ground. "You have my permission to do so."

Hongjoong crossed his arms over his chest, watching Seonghwa jog over toward the first van and hop into the back seat. The black haired male paused for a moment and looked over at him.

"I love you!"

"I love you more. Come back to me, asshole, I swear to God!" That earned another smile from Seonghwa, who quickly blew him a kiss before slamming the sliding door shut.

The engines rumbled to life, one after another, the vans departed the garage. Hongjoong could feel his heart pounding in his throat as the garage doors shut behind them. 

Usually when his gut bubbled with anxiety, something bad would happen, and he felt as if he was going to be sick...

______

Plup... Plup...

A couple of tears cascaded into the steaming cup of coffee on the counter. He could no longer keep his emotions inside anymore, staring blankly at his reflection in the dark liquid below.

It had been three weeks since Seonghwa left, and there was not a single word from him. They had lost communication with the team that he was with, and despite attempts to try and reach them somehow, it was to no avail. 

A hand gripped his shoulder softly, startling him as he suddenly jolted his head to see who it was. He didn't know why, but he expected it to be Seonghwa, and he was filled with disappointment when he saw Mingi's face.

"Are you okay?"

Hongjoong returned his gaze back to the coffee in front of him. "I don't know... I still can't get anyone to get ahold of them... They've just... Vanished. I'm worried sick, and I'm fearing the worst." His voice quivered with sadness, the lump in his throat making it difficult to get his words out.

Mingi slipped into the stool next to Hongjoong, leaning on the counter with one of his elbows with a gentle sigh. "Don't think like that... You know what he's capable of, I doubt the worst as happened."

"But what if it did? What if I just sent my husband to his death and I'll never know?" Hongjoong pressed the side of his index finger against his lips, shaking his head softly. "There's no way we just lost contact with them. Seonghwa would have found a way to make contact, he would never let me go this long without any word."

"You're stressing yourself out too much. You don't know if-"

"I DO know!" Hongjoong raised his voice slightly. "I know my husband, Mingi! He knows how worried I was sending him off, if there was a communication malfunction then he would've found a way!"

"Okay, okay..." Mingi quickly retracted in order to keep Hongjoong from completely snapping off. "But don't start worrying just yet. They did have to go quite far to track them down, maybe it's just taking longer to find them than they originally thought. Don't jump to conclusions just yet. After all the shit that he has been through, I doubt he would have gotten himself killed so easily. There's a reason he's survived this long, he's a stubborn son of a bitch."

"No one is immortal, Mingi..."

"I never said that anyone was, I'm just trying to ease your worrying. Getting yourself worked up isn't going to bring him back any faster."

Hongjoong sighed deeply, using the back of his hand to wipe the tears from his cheeks and sniffing. "I can't help it. He's disappeared without a trace before, and I just can't deal with that again. I can't suffer not knowing if he's alive or dead."

"That was different-"

"Hey." Yohan spoke up suddenly just as he rushed into the room.

Both Mingi and Hongjoong looked over to meet Yohan's gaze, he had a grave look on his face.

"Yohan... What is it?" Hongjoong questioned, his brows furrowing slightly.

"You're not gonna like what I have to say..."

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	25. Chapter 24

Everything felt numb. The world passed by all while time seemed to stand still. The only sounds passing through his ears were the sounds of a ventilator hissing in a slow rhythm. 

It seemed as if most of his life was spent in a hospital room, either hooked up to IVs and machines or at the bedside of another. 

He was more than just sick of it.

Hongjoong stared at the black-haired male upon the white linens of the hospital bed with empty eyes, a plastic mask strapped to his mouth and nose. His once honey-toned skin had become almost grey in color, darkened circles around his eyes. His lips had become dry and cracked, his face cut up and bruised. Seonghwa's knuckles on each hand were bandaged with white gauze, a slight tint of red seeping through the bandaging on his right hand. His left bicep was bandaged with gauze as well with a stitched gunshot wound beneath. Under his hospital gown, five more points along his torso were stitched and bandaged. While his heart was still beating, the damage done to his body was unclear if he was going to pull through or not.

The mission was a success, but the small militia of men had been wiped out except for a remaining few, they were all receiving medical attention as well, but Seonghwa had taken most of the damage.

From what was told to Hongjoong, they had tracked down the Choi family to an abandoned transportation port and found themselves caught in the middle of an ambush, overpowered and outnumbered. 

It was confirmed that both the C.E.O and founder of the company was dead, as well as his son, for good this time, but it didn't come without a greater cost. Seonghwa was clinging to life, and there was still no indication of whether or not he was going to pull through. 

It had been a week since Seonghwa and the remaining few had been rushed to the hospital after someone reported multiple gunshots within the area, and he still hadn't awoken after being released from emergency surgery.

Hongjoong had slipped into a different world in his own mind that he didn't even notice Yohan take his place upon the vinyl couch beside him.

"Hongjoong..?"

Silence.

"Hongjoong." Yohan brought a hand to the smaller male's shoulder, who jumped in response and seemed to snap back to reality.

Hongjoong looked over at Yohan for a brief moment before his eyes found their way back to Seonghwa. "What is it?"

"His lawyer is here. He wants to speak with you."

"His lawyer? What the hell is he doing here?" 

"Well... Given the condition that Mars is in... Mingi gave his lawyer a call to set forth potential measures just in case-"

Hongjoong shot a look over at Yohan, clenching his jaw. "Don't you dare..."

"They had to REVIVE him during surgery, Hongjoong, and his condition isn't getting any better."

"Tell the lawyer his services are not needed here." Hongjoong snapped in response.

"Hongjoong-"

"Yohan, if you press this matter further, we are GOING to have to discuss this OUTSIDE." Hongjoong's voice dropped an octave, almost growling as he spoke. "His heart is STILL beating, he's STILL clinging to life, and I'm not preparing for a fucking funeral just yet. Do you understand me? Send the lawyer on his way and have him cover up the mess that was made at the port. I WILL NOT tell you again, and you tell Mingi that I will be out in a moment to SMACK his head on straight."

Yohan stared at the smaller male for a moment, then gave a subtle nod of his head. "Alright..."

Hongjoong watched Yohan push up off the couch, standing on his feet and heading toward the door of the room. 

When he exited, Hongjoong got up from the couch and sat beside his husband on the edge of the hospital bed. He placed one of his warm hands upon Seonghwa's, his skin was cool to the touch. He could feel his heart in his chest twist and turn, aching at the thought that Seonghwa could possibly never come back from the state he was in. From the amount of blood he lost and having to be resuscitated, there was a small chance he would come back.

Hongjoong couldn't find the will to cry no matter how much his eyes begged him to, the pain coursing through his veins was too great that crying wasn't enough to express it.

"I don't know if you can hear me... I hope you can. I've been thinking recently, Hwa, and... It's okay if you don't come back... If you can't find your way back to me, if you are too weak to pull through, don't push yourself." Hongjoong could feel a lump start to swell in the pit of his throat, but he just swallowed it down. "I want you to know that no matter what happens, I love you with my whole being... The past few years have been a hell hole, an uncontrollable ride with no way out, but that will never change the fact that I fell madly and deeply in love with you. You are problematic, intoxicatingly charismatic, and an absolute pain in the ass, but... I would go back to the very first day we met and I would do it all over again. Every painful moment, every fit of passion, every argument, and fight... I wouldn't hesitate to go through it again."

The more he started to reminisce, the more his emotions started to well up in his eyes. Tears finally found their way to the corners of his eyes, spilling down the sides of his cheeks.

"It's okay to let go... You don't have to fight for me anymore. You did it... You got your revenge and you succeeded, and you did it all for me. I never imagined when you said you would take a bullet for me again that this is how it would happen, and I never wanted it to happen..." By this time, Hongjoong had broken apart, allowing his tears to turn into sobs. "I don't want you to fight anymore, Seonghwa..."

Hongjoong hoped and prayed that through his words, Seonghwa would awaken, that his eyes would open and there would be hope that he would get better. 

But that didn't happen...

Seonghwa didn't move an inch aside from the slow rise and fall of his chest, except it wasn't even his own breathing. The ventilator at his side was forcing the air into his lungs since he couldn't breathe on his own, his body was too weak for such a feat, and it broke Hongjoong even more.

Maybe everyone was right. There's no way Seonghwa would come back, he had to rely on machines to keep him alive, and his condition was far from improving.

Hongjoong glanced over at the EKG machine, watching his pulse on the monitor for a while before he laid his eyes back on Seonghwa's face. He couldn't watch him suffer, it hurt more than losing Seonghwa all together, and the mask around his face was the only thing separating him from life and death.

He thought about it for a moment, soon raising his hand toward the plastic mask and grabbing it with his fingertips. Hongjoong lowered his head as he sobbed, trying to bite his lip to stifle them. 

A part of him knew that this was the best way to get it over with, but the other part of him had a hard time with ending his husband's suffering. 

It seemed as if Seonghwa's story was coming to an end, and Hongjoong knew that he wouldn't want anyone else to write out his fate than him.

Finally, Hongjoong gripped the mask tighter, pulling it slowly off of Seonghwa's face and laying it beside his head. 

Seonghwa's heartbeat began to rise rapidly as his body tried to fight to stay alive. Hongjoong looked away shutting his eyes tightly, trying to shut out the sounds of the raspy, hoarse breaths for air.

It was torture listening to him fight for his life...

What seemed like hours was only a few seconds, and the breathing stopped, followed by the ominous sound of the flatline on the EKG machine. 

Hongjoong slowly opened his eyes and glanced over at Seonghwa's face, lips trembling and tears streaming down his cheeks. He brought his hands to Seonghwa's beaten face and leaned forward, pressing his lips against his one final time as he sobbed.

"I love you... I'm so sorry..." Hongjoong could only manage a whisper.

He pulled his hands away from his face, hopping off of the edge of the hospital bed and heading toward the door. He paused for a moment, covering his face with his hands as a memory flashed through his mind.

______

..."Joong... I've been thinking about this for a while, deciding if it was the right thing to do after all the things we've been through. I realized I wouldn't want to go through those things with anyone else. I want you at my side through thick and thin no matter what. I want to be able to hold you until our skin loses elasticity, until our hair turns silver, and until we draw out last breaths." Seonghwa said in a soft tone, now bringing his arm around and lifting a small, black box from the water.

Hongjoong immediately froze with shock, looking from Seonghwa to the small box he held in his hand. "Seonghwa..."

"I want you to be mine forever, Joong..." Seonghwa let go of the smaller male so he could open the box, revealing a golden band wedged in between a bed of velvet. "Will you marry me?"

Hongjoong's bottom lip began to quiver as intense emotions waved over him. Tears began to spill from his eyes, looking at Seonghwa in the eyes. Without saying a word, he nodded his head as he began to sob happily.

Seonghwa could feel a great weight lift from his chest from Hongjoong's acceptance of his proposal, smiling sweetly. He then took the ring out of the box, setting the box on the edge of the pool. Seonghwa grabbed Hongjoong's left hand from the wall, tenderly slipping the ring onto his finger.

"I love you, Joong..."

______

Hongjoong pulled his hands away from his face, looking down at the golden band still on his left ring finger. He tenderly twisted the metal on his hand, hearing Seonghwa's voice echo "I love you, Joong" over and over again in his head. 

Finally, he reached for the door handle, and what happened next would shock him forever...

****THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU FOR READING****


	26. Chapter 25 [Final Chapter]

[continuation of the last chapter]

[A/N: This chapter will be longer than usual since it is the final one.]

Through the devastating silence that hung heavily in the room, a loud, deep gasp broke through. The monotoned sound of the EKG had started beeping once again in a steadying rhythm.

It felt as if every nerve and hair on his body had been shocked by a surge of electricity, Hongjoong swore that his own heart had come to a complete stop in his chest.

He thought that maybe he was just falling into one of his episodes, thinking that he was imagining the whole thing. He just shut his eyes, shaking his head as he gripped the door handle. When he ripped the door open, a hoarse voice spoke up that made him stop in his tracks.

"H... Hong...joong..."

He wasn't imagining it. There was no way that he had imagined it when he heard it clear as day.

He slowly turned his head with tears still streaming down his cheeks, his eyes still closed as he was scared to look upon the male in the hospital bed.

After gaining enough confidence to open his eyes, a sense of validation washed over him. He could see that Seonghwa's chest was rising and falling very slowly, and the EKG was in fact reading a heartbeat, but Seonghwa was seemed to be still unconscious.

"Oh my god..." Hongjoong almost dropped to his knees as he scrambled over toward the bed. He placed both of his hands on the sides of Seonghwa's cheeks, his tears of pain quickly turning to tears of relief.

"I was right... I knew you were going to pull through. I'm so sorry, Hwa, I'm so sorry I did that to you." Hongjoong couldn't do anything but sob, pressing his forehead against the cool skin of Seonghwa's forehead.

Yohan had come into the room after hearing a bit of commotion coming from the room. He was confused with what he had walked into.

"Hongjoong? What's going on?"

Hongjoong pulled himself away so he could turn around and face Yohan. "I... I didn't want him to suffer so I took the mask off of his face... He stopped breathing and his pulse was gone but... When I went to leave the room, he just... Oh my god, he's..." Hongjoong dropped his head covering his face with both hands as he just fell to his knees.

Yohan diverted his gaze from Hongjoong and saw the mask lying beside Seonghwa's head, then noticed that he was actually breathing on his own and his heartbeat was rather steady. It was then that the feeling of relief hit him too, he had to catch himself on the doorway in order to keep himself from fainting.

"I... I'll go get the doctor..." Pushing off of the door frame, Yohan nearly stumbled as he rushed out of the room.

Once Hongjoong had calmed down enough, he was finally able to pull himself back to his feet. He felt lightheaded and his knees were weak, but he needed to get closer to his husband. Hongjoong had climbed into the hospital bed, squeezing his small frame into the narrow space on the side and lowering his face into Seonghwa's chest. He grabbed Seonghwa's hand in his, just sobbing into the fabric of his hospital gown.

While Seonghwa wasn't awake, the fact that he was able to breathe on his own at that point, meant that he was using every fragment of his energy left and fighting to get better.

To Hongjoong's relief, Seonghwa was going to survive... 

______

A couple of days later, Seonghwa had finally awoken and didn't recall anything after he was shot multiple times. It was a miracle he even survived despite two bullets piercing vital organs and dying twice, but there was no sign of infection since he had the emergency surgery, so his chances of a complete recovery were high.

About a month, Seonghwa was finally fit enough to be discharged from the hospital, but he would still need to rest for a while until he had regained his strength completely.

The air in the car was quiet, Yohan sat in the driver's seat, Mingi was passed out directly beside him in the front. Hongjoong clung to Seonghwa's hand securely, but the black-haired male had long fallen asleep too with his head pressed against the car window.

Yohan took a quick glance in the rearview mirror, seeing that Hongjoong was just staring at his brother as if waiting for something to happen.

"Hongjoong... Why don't you rest a little? It's going to be a few hours before we get back to the house, he'll still be breathing when you wake up."

"I don't know that..." Hongjoong responded in a small tone of voice, looking toward Yohan in the driver's seat.

"His wounds are 90% healed and he's doing just fine, they wouldn't discharge him if he was still having complications."

"You're not his husband, Yohan, you don't know how much I'm worried about him."

Yohan gave a little chuckle, shaking his head. "No, but he IS my brother. He's fine, lay your head back and rest."

"I just-"

"Would you two shut the hell up?" Seonghwa chimed in with a deep, tired voice, he sounded a bit annoyed. 

"Look who woke the bear up." Yohan jabbed with another chuckle.

"Shut up-" Just before Hongjoong could even fire something back, Seonghwa grabbed him by the back of his hair with his free hand and pulled his head down into his lap to make him lay down in the back seat.

"No, you shut up. You're like a yipping chihuahua. Settle down, Paco..." Seonghwa grumbled as he adjusted his head on the window, sighing out softly.

Yohan had to bite on the inside of his lip to keep himself from laughing, while Hongjoong squinted his eyes. He let out a small scoff but closed his eyes anyway. Even though Seonghwa had just hounded him, Hongjoong was still glad to hear his voice, and he felt more comfortable laying his head in his lap.

When he was able to actually hear every breath that Seonghwa took and feel his warmth, his sense of worry seemed to vanish just like that. 

It didn't take long for him to fall fast asleep, and soon the whole car was filled with a symphony of snores.

______

Within the silent home, the sounds of pages turning seemed to echo through the open space. 

All staff had been dismissed until further notice, even the security detail. While Seonghwa was resting, Hongjoong didn't want anyone in the house as to not disturb his husband. If something was really important, then they would need to address Hongjoong first.

Yohan and Mingi weren't even allowed inside of the house, he had practically banished the two to the beach house whether or not they wanted to, he just wanted a quiet, empty house.

With a ceramic cup pressed to his lips, hot coffee stung his taste buds and slicked down his throat as his eyes scanned over printed letters on white paper.

In front of him on the kitchen counter was an old article he had written in his earlier days as an investigative reporter. It was the case of a man who was believed to have murdered over one-hundred people, but they could never track the man down. 

Hongjoong forgot how good he was at his old job, and how well he would organize his evidence in his articles. This was one of his toughest cases and his most prestigious one, but as he ran an anonymous profile, he never gained anything from it other than a sense of pride. The local detective at the police department got all of the credit since Hongjoong was the one who tipped him off.

His stomach started to pull, letting out a soft sigh as he placed the coffee mug down upon the granite countertop. 

It was no lie that he missed his old life, he missed being nobody, he missed the isolated life he lived in his small loft apartment.

He shifted his weight on his feet, leaning onto his right foot with his hands now gripped the edge of the counter.

Now, don't be mistaken. Hongjoong loved Seonghwa, he loved the lavish lifestyle and the comfortability, but with the recent events that unfolded, he was reminded exactly why he tried so desperately to get away from it. He was reminded of what drove him and Seonghwa apart the first time, he just wanted something different, he wanted their life to go back to normal, not filled with bloodshed and fear.

A pair of warm lips pressed against the bend of his neck just as strong arms engulfed his torso in a tight embrace from behind.

Despite the looming thoughts in Hongjoong's head, he couldn't help but smile as the familiar warmth welcomed him.

"Aren't you supposed to be resting? What are you doing awake?"

"The bed is cold without you in it..." Seonghwa responded in a warm tone of voice as he rested his chin upon Hongjoong's nimble shoulder. "What are you looking at?"

"One of my old cases from a few years ago before I met you. My favorite case, but also the most stressful one." Hongjoong reached a hand back and snaked his fingers into the back of Seonghwa's hair, playing with the soft locks.

"Oh? Reminiscing in the past, are we?"

"Only a little..." Hongjoong let out a small sigh, biting down on the inside of his bottom lip.

Seonghwa frowned slightly as he could tell that there was something wrong with Hongjoong. His hands fell to Hongjoong's waist and he turned the smaller male around to face him.

It was still unreal seeing Seonghwa standing in front of him with messy black hair, color in his face, and breath in his lungs. He had come so close to death, yet there he stood in front of him.

"What's on your mind?" Seonghwa kept his hands upon his husband's waist, tilting his head curiously as he stared into his eyes.

"Nothing..." Hongjoong shook his head with a slight smile. "How are you anyway?"

"I'm okay... A little tired, but that's not the case right now. What's going on with you? You only act like this when you've got something on your mind." 

Hongjoong stared at his husband in silence for a moment, and soon his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm just... I'm so TIRED of all of this. I dealt with it so long in the beginning, and I don't like the person that it made me. I don't like the person that it made you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just... ALL of this." Hongjoong briefly threw his hands up in frustration. "The violence, the bloodshed, the CONSTANT worry if you're going to get yourself killed or if I'm going to get myself killed. I don't like the feeling of having to look over my shoulder every second of every day with a target on my back and-"

Seonghwa placed a hand over Hongjoong's mouth to stop him where he was. "Joong... I know... I'm sick of all this too, and I hate that it took me nearly losing my life to realize it."

Hongjoong blinked a few times as Seonghwa lowered his hand from his mouth. "You are?"

"I'm getting too old for this shit... I mean, I'm not old, but I've been in this business since I was a teenager. Shit, I'm nearly thirty now and I just... I can't keep doing this, I can't keep putting our lives in danger."

"So... What exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying that it's time I shut everything down. Close out all of my business matters and dismiss all clientele. Create a new bank account and transfer all of the funds, and really start over this time. I'm tired, you're tired... It's time this shitshow come to an end."

"You tried that the first time, and look where we-"

"I MEAN it this time. I'm not handing off the company, I'm shutting it down completely, wiping every bit of evidence that it even existed." Seonghwa grabbed Hongjoong by his cheeks with both hands. "We're done with all of this, Hongjoong, for good."

That was the best thing that Hongjoong had ever heard in a long time. Hongjoong wrapped his arms tightly around Seonghwa's neck, bringing his husband into a tight hug, sighing out heavily in relief.

"Thank God..."

"I'll get right to work on it... I promise once all of this is over, we'll never look back..."

______

7 years later...

After Seonghwa had completely given up the company and settled everything, the couple had decided that they wanted a smaller, more normal life. Seonghwa had sold the property along the beach, all of his guns, all of his cars, he sold everything that would be a reminder of the life that they once lived.

He moved with Hongjoong to a small suburban area just outside of L.A. where Hongjoong picked up a job as a writer for the local newspaper covering crime within the city. Seonghwa made the choice that he didn't want to work anymore, but he did carry his weight around the house. He cooked, he cleaned, and he handled all of the bills for their little three-bedroom-two-bath house.

After a couple of years, Hongjoong wanted a family before either of them got too old to have kids. They didn't want to adopt, and neither of them had the organs to produce a child, but instead, they consulted with a surrogate.

When they only expected one child, they were blessed with their oldest sons, Wooyoung and Yunho, now aged four and non-identical twins. A little over a year later came their youngest son Jongho, who had just turned three.

Yohan and Mingi had recently tied the knot together, and they lived a happy life on the opposite end of the city so they could keep close to the couple.

The life that they had once lived had become a memory, and they never even thought of looking back...

"WOOYOUNG! GIVE IT BACK! IT WAS MINE FIRST!" A small child screamed at the top of his lungs.

"No! I had it first!" A black-haired little boy stuffed a plastic dinosaur under his arm and frowned.

"If you don't give it back I'm going to tell Dad!"

"Tell Dad! I don't care!"

"Woooooo, give Yunnie toy back..." A chubby-cheeked boy who laid on the couch had chimed in with a stuffed bear clutched against his chest.

"Shut up, Jongho!"

"Excuse me? Who on EARTH told you that it was okay to use that kind of language?"

All three boys popped their heads up and met eyes with Seonghwa, who was leaning against the doorway of the living room with his arms crossed over his chest.

"D-Daddy! Wooyoung took my toy!" Tears welled up in Yunho's eyes and he brought his tiny fists to his eyes, starting to cry.

"I had it first!" Wooyoung protested. "It's my toy anyway!" 

"Wooyoung, give the toy back to your brother, I won't tell you twice. If your mother finds out that-"

"Finds out what?" 

Seonghwa was too distracted by the rowdy children to notice that Hongjoong had come home, seeing him appear through the hallway from the front door dressed in his work uniform and his shoes in his hands.

"Wooyoung and Yunho have been fighting all day. Jongho has been feeling better, he hasn't thrown up since this morning."

"Fighting? Wooyoung and Yunho, you go to your rooms right now and I will come to speak to you both in a moment." Hongjoong spoke sternly but quietly. 

"But-" Both boys went to protest.

"No 'buts'! Go!"

Both Yunho and Wooyoung stood up from the middle of the living room, and Wooyoung threw down the dinosaur as he followed Yunho down the hall to their rooms.

Seonghwa pushed off of the doorway and walked over toward the youngest boy on the couch. "Come here, little guy... Let's go see mommy." Seonghwa cooed softly as he scooped the boy up into his arms. He walked over toward Hongjoong with a welcoming smile on his face.

As soon as Jongho saw Hongjoong, he let out a whine and made grabby hands toward him. Hongjoong chuckled warmly and dropped his shoes to the ground, taking Jongho out of his husband's arms. The small boy clung tightly to Hongjoong's chest as he held him on his hip.

"How was work today?"

"It was okay... Mr. Anderson still won't get back to me about my promotion even though I had the top-rated article for this month..." Hongjoong let out an annoyed sigh before peppering the top of Jongho's head with soft kisses, swaying back and forth.

"You'll get it, don't worry. You're the best writer they have, there's no one else worthy for the job except you." Seonghwa placed a hand on top of Hongjoong's head and kissed his cheek softly. "I'll deal with Woo and Yunho... Jongho has been missing you all day. He definitely doesn't like me." Seonghwa said with a grin.

Hongjoong laughed. "He does too like you! Stop that!"

"I don't know. It's always mommy, mommy, mommy with this one." Seonghwa leaned in and pressed his lips against Jongho's cheek, making a farting noise against his cheek. The boy giggled tiredly and buried his face into Hongjoong's neck to hide.

"Jjongie... You like daddy, right?"

Jongho whined.

"Who do you love more? Daddy or mommy?" Seonghwa questioned with a grin, knowing the answer to that question. 

Jongho slowly turned his head to peak over at Seonghwa, a wide grin forming on his chubby face. The small child popped his head up and giggled. "Mommy!"

"See? I told you." Seonghwa laughed and pinched his son's cheek. "Little stink."

Hongjoong shook his head. "Go deal with the boys. I'll make dinner tonight, you've been doing so much lately and it's my turn."

"Alright." Seonghwa gave a small kiss to Hongjoong before he turned toward the hall. 

"Hey, Hwa?"

"Mm?" Seonghwa paused before he disappeared into the hallway, looking back at Hongjoong.

"I love you. You know that right?"

Seonghwa smiled sweetly. "I love you too..."

It was absurd to think that just years before, their lives revolved around danger and blood money.

Now, they had started a family together, they lived a quiet life, the life that Hongjoong had always dreamed of since he had met Seonghwa over a decade ago. There was no more heartbreak, there was no more bloodshed, they no longer had to look over their shoulders and fight to live through the next day.

After all of the trauma and violence, they found their peace and rightful place in the world.

The people that they were, the people they used to be, that no longer existed. Those were different people, their lives had ended years ago, and it was a relief to all of them. The children would never know about who their father was and what their mother went through as all evidence and traces of that life had been completely wiped from existence.

They were free.

You have to fall before you can learn to fly...

And amidst all of the poison, they had finally found their antidote...

THE END.


End file.
